Zoology is one of the major part of biology. Biology is made with botany and zoology. Zoology has wide range of fields. These division of fields and branches makes study easier. Students have an opportunity to select their field according to their interest. All branches of zoology have their own scopes and importance. Here are the list of branches of zoology and what it deals about.
Branches of Zoology
Here is the list of 40+ sub-disciplines of zoology with a short description about its study. Read also about branches of botany in our next article.
Angiology
The study of blood vessels(artery, vein, lymph vessels) and related disorders is called angiology.
Anthropology
Study of human evolution and culture is anthropology.
Aphidology
Study of aphids is called aphidology. It includes sap sucking insects commonly called greenfly and blackfly.
Araneology
Study of spiders is called araneology.
Archaeozoology/Zooarchaeology
It is the study of dead animals and their remains. It is also called as faunal science as it studies about dead bodies, their bones, shells, hairs, DNAs, RNAs etc.
Arthrology
Arthrology is the study of joints, disorder and its treatment. A prefix “arthro-” refers to joint which is derived from Greek word. Stiffness of joints are common disorder in older ages due to decrease in synovial fluid.
Batrecology
Study of frogs are called batrecology. Frogs are under class “amphibian” and super-class “Tetrapoda”.
Cardiology
Cardiology is the branch of science/medicine that deals with heart disorders and circulatory system. Cardiologist is a person specialized in cardiology and treating heart related disease, and disorder.
Chondrology
The study of cartilages is called chondrology. Cartilages related disorders and disease are studied and treated under this branch of science.
Cnidology
Study of coelenterates is called cnidology. Some organism that is included under phylum “coelenterata” are Hydra, Obelia(sea fur), Physalia(protuguese man of war), Millipora(fire coral), Aurelia(jelly fish), Rhizostoma, Metridium(sea anemone), Alcyonium(dead man’s finger), Pennatula(sea pen/feather), Corallium(coral stone) etc.
Conchology
The study of shells of mollusca is called conchology. Shells of mollusca are for protective purposes which are generally made of calcium carbonate(CaCO3) and are secreted by mantle.
Cytology
It is the branch of cell biology that deals with study of cytoplasm of cell. It also deals with study of cytoplasmic cell organelles like mitochondria, golgi complex, lysosome, cytoplasm etc. of cell.
Embryology
The study of development of organism is called embryology. It deals with fertilization, development of zygote and processes involved in development of new organism.
Endocrinology
Endocrinology is the study of endocrine glands, hormones they produce and it’s disorders. Endocrinologist is a specialized persons capable of dealing with endocrine glands and treating disorders.
Entomology
Study of insects including their life cycle, classifications is called entomology. Insects are economically important. Some important useful insects includes Apis indica(honey bee), Bombax mori(silk moth).
Ethnology
It is the branch of anthropology that deals with study of relationship and difference between people with there culture, society, race factors.
Ethology
Study of animal behavior or nature is called ethology.
Euphenics
Study of improvement of human race through altering protein sequence or by application of genetic engineering is called euphenics.
Euthenics
Study of improvement of human race through laws of heredity and genetics is called as euthenics.
Helminthology
The study of helminth worms are called helminthology.Some example of organism are Dugesia(planaria), Bipalium, Fasciola hepatica(liverfluke), Schistossoma(blood fluke), Polystoma(bladder fluke), Taenia solium(pork tapeworm), Tania saginata(beef tapeworm), Echinococcus granulosus(dog tapeworm) etc.
Herpetology
It is the study of reptiles. It deals with origin, evolution, habit, habitat, of reptiles including mammoth extinct dinosaurs.
Histology
Study of tissues is called histology. A tissue is defined as a group of cells(tissue, organs) having a common origin with more or less similar structure and function. So, histology is defined as branch of science that deals with study of cells, tissues and organs to corelate relationship, structure and function of (among) them.
Hormonology
Hormonology is the branch of science that deals with study of hormones.
Ichthyology
Study of fishes called ichthyology. Fish provide economic sources for human. It deals with habit, habitat, identifications, evolution, types, economic importance and all about fishes.
Karyology
Study of nucleus in a cell is called Karyology. It deals with type, origin, cleavage formations in nucleus.
Malacology
Malacology is the study of Mollusca. Mollusca are soft animals with some having outer hard protective shells. Some examples of phylum “mollusca” are Pilia(apple snail), Helix(garden slug), Limax(slug), Doris(sea lemon), Aplysia(sea hare), Dentallium(elephant’s tusk shells), Unio, Sepia(cuttle fish), Octopus(devil fish), Loligo(squid), Teredo(ship worm), Neopilina etc.
Mammalogy
The study of mammal is called mammalogy. It deals with habitat, classifications, origin, economic important of class “Mammalia”.
Microbiology
Study of micro-organism is called microbiology. It has wide range of scope. It deals with virus, bacteria, diseases caused, clinical microbiology, scopes, economic importance and research in microbial organisms.
Myrmecology
It is the special branch of entomology which deals and studies about ants.
Nidology
The study of nest of birds is called nidology. It deals with types, their making mechanism, importance, evolution and other related function of bird’s nest.
Ophinology
It deals with study of snakes. Ophinology includes study of types, habitat, evolution, origin patters, economic importance, nature of venom of snakes.
Ornithology
The study of birds is called ornithology.
Osteology
Osteology is the study of bones. It deals with study and treatment of bone related disorders and disease like rickets in children, osteitis deformans, osteomyelitis etc.
Paleontology
Study of fossils is called paleontology. It plays important role in determination of age of fossils, evolutionary relationships, knowing extinct organism, and past history.
Parasitology
Study of parasitic organism is called parasitology. It deals with habitat, relationship with host, controls, pathogenic nature of parasite.
Parazoology
The study of porifera/sponges is called Parazoology. Porifera is a phylum of kingdom “Animalia”. Some examples of phylum porifera are sycon(crown sponge), Leucosolenia, Euplectella(venus flower basket), Hyalonema(glassrope sponge), spongilla(fresh water sponge), Eupongia(bath sponge), chalina(mermaid’s glove) etc.
Phenology
The study of birds migration is called phenology. Birds are greatest migrants which they does seasonally in search of food, mate and for avoiding unfavourable conditions.
Physiology
Physiology is the study of functions and mechanism of living body. Physiological activities in animal body include circulatory, nervous, respiratory, immune and endocrine systems.
Protozoology
It deals with study of Unicellular organisms. Protozoa is a group of kingdom “Protista”. Some examples of group protozoa includes Amoeba, Entamoeba, Trichomonas, Trypanosoma, Giardia, Plasmodium, Monocystic, Paramecium, Opalina, Vorticella etc. Protozoology include study of microscopic organisms, scope, and its use for human welfare.
Saurology
The study of lizards is called saurology. Some examples of lizards includes Heloderma (gila monster) which is poisonous and fetal, Draco(flying dragon), Iguana.
Tetratology
The study of abnormal embryonic development is called tetratology. The abnormal embryo results due to infection, diseases, chemicals agents, improper metabolic conditions.
Virology
It is the branch of science that deals with study of virus and virus causing diseases. It includes both plant and animal virus. Some example of plant virus are Tobacco Mosaic Virus(TMB), potato virus, beet yellow virus etc. Animal virus includes HIV virus, rabies virus, mump virus, polio virus etc.
Zoogeography
It is the study of distribution of animal species on different geographical regions.
