Zoology Flashcards

Zoology is the science that studies animals, derived from the Greek terms 'zoon' (animal) and 'logos' (speech).

Zoology has slowly developed over the centuries since prehistory, with the first scientific reflections passed down from Aristotle.

Early methods included observation of morphological characteristics (shape, color, size) and classification based on anatomical criteria like invertebrates and vertebrates.

Prehistoric rock paintings and sculptures from the Late Paleocene depict animals with details indicating a good understanding of their environment, such as bison molting or mammoth tail skin folds.

The development of biology, including genetics and cladistics, offered new techniques and perspectives, though traditional naturalist disciplines initially seemed outdated.

The awarding of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1973 to ethologists Karl von Frisch, Konrad Lorenz, and Nikolaas Tinbergen brought renewed attention and credibility to zoological studies.

Specialized fields include entomology (insects), herpetology (reptiles and amphibians), ichthyology (fish), mammalogy (mammals), ophiology (snakes), ornithology (birds), malacology (mollusks), arachnology (arachnids), and carcinology (crustaceans).

Entomology is the study of insects.

Herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians.

Ichthyology is the study of fish.

Mammalogy is the study of mammals.

Ophiology is the study of snakes.

Ornithology is the study of birds.

Malacology is the study of mollusks.

Arachnology is the study of arachnids.

Carcinology is the study of crustaceans.

Technical specialties include comparative anatomy, animal physiology, genetics and developmental mechanisms, ethology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and systematics.

Comparative anatomy is the study of animal structure.

Animal physiology is a field that includes disciplines such as anatomy and embryology.

Ethology is the study of animal behavior.

Ecology includes behavioral ecology and evolutionary ecology, among others.

Evolutionary biology studies evolution, population genetics, heredity, reproduction, natural selection, genetic diversity, and ecological constraints.

These fields classify species and groups of living or extinct species, and study the relationships between them.

Paleontology helps understand past zoology, including aspects like paleoclimatology.

Animals exhibit infinite diversity and polymorphism and inhabit all environments, including those with extreme conditions.

The diversity of animals requires a hierarchical classification system.

Examples include jointed feet for arthropods and the presence of a shell for mollusks.

The basic elements are Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. Subdivisions like superorder, order, and suborder can also be used.