ich⋅thy⋅ol⋅o⋅gy
–noun
the dictionary defines ichthyology as the branch of zoology dealing with fishes.
Origin:
1640–50; ICHTHYO- +
-LOGY
Related forms:
ich⋅thy⋅o⋅log⋅ic ich⋅thy⋅o⋅log⋅i⋅cal, adjective
ich⋅thy⋅o⋅log⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
ich⋅thy⋅ol⋅o⋅gist, noun
Ichthyology (from Greek: ἰχθυ, ikhthu, "fish"; and λόγος, logos, "knowledge") is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes skeletal fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha).
Since the publication of the 10th edition of "Systema Naturae" the major work by Linnaeus in 1758, (now considered the starting point of zoological nomenclature), 58 915 species have been described up to November 2009. These are Original Names and if you require a list of these, use the Genus Species Search or the Species Search and enter isOriginal = True in the filter. Press Enter or Click on the "Add to Filter" button and the full list of Original Names will be displayed. In the past few years, unlike other branches of Zoology, approximately 400 new fish species have been described every year. If one combines the total number of species for all the other vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians) this total comes to less than the number of fish species. As of November 2009 there are approximately 30 000 Valid species of fish.