Ichthyology

Ichthyology is the branch of zoology that deals with the study of fish. This includes bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). While many species have been discovered and described, approximately 250 new species are officially described by ichthyologists each year.

History

Ichthyology has a long history. The study of fish dates back to the ancient times, notably with Aristotle, who described more than 500 species. However, ichthyology only became a recognized science in the 19th century with the advent of taxonomy.

Branches of Ichthyology

Ichthyology is divided into several branches including:

• Taxonomy: The classification of fish.
• Ecology: The study of how fish interact with their environment.
• Physiology': The study of the function of fish's body parts.
• Behavioral studies: The study of the behavior of fish.

Notable Ichthyologists

Some notable ichthyologists include:

• Louis Agassiz (1807–1873): He made significant contributions to ichthyological classification, including of extinct species.
• David Starr Jordan (1851–1931): He was a leading ichthyologist who pioneered work on fish classification and was an educator on the central concepts of evolution.

See Also

• Fish
• Fisheries science
• Marine biology
• Aquaculture

References

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