Written by: Minahil Mumtaz
Email: minahilkamoka2005@gmail.com
Figure 1. A panda sitting on a tree.
Definition
Zoology is the branch of biology which deals with the scientific study of the behavior, physiology, structure, distribution, and classification of animals, their evolution, as well as their interactions with each other and their environment.
In simpler words,
Zoology is the study of animals including the animal kingdom and animal life. Zoology is commonly called “Animal Biology”.
Study of Zoology
The study of zoology includes an animal’s behavior, physiology, and interaction with other species in the environment. It includes the distribution of every animal species along with extinct animals. It explores new areas of research, apart from the animal kingdom and ecosystem.
Application of Zoology
Zoology is approached as a basic or an applied science. In basic zoology, students are keen to learn about animals without considering the application of the knowledge they gained. In applied zoology, students are interested in the application of zoology, and how the knowledge gained can help in benefiting animals and humans like in the field of medicine.
History of Zoology
Zoology is being used to classify and analyze animals. People have been interested in learning about animals since ancient times. Let’s take a look on the historical background of zoology:
Aristotle
The prominent ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, was the first one to broadly classify living things in the 4th century BC. He gained the credits of devising a system that helps in classifying the organisms and recognizing their similarities among many other diverse organisms. He arranged various groups of animals according to their habitat and their reproduction pattern. He divided living things into two categories, either animals or plants and continued with his classifications. Later on, words like zoology, botany and biology came into existence.
Carolus Linnaeus
In the 12th century, zoology emerged as a science. Its study mainly revolved around studying the anatomy of animals for their classification. A Swedish botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, who developed a nomenclature system which is the binomial system of genus and species. It was used to classify animals according to a predetermined system.
Charles Darwin
Later on, these developments were synthesized by Charles Darwin in his “Theory of Evolution” by natural selection. In 1859, he presented the Theory of Organic Evolution along with its observational evidence.
Branches of Zoology
Like other branches of biology, zoology is also subdivided into various branches. Zoology is broken into various branches because there are so many different ways to study animals; it's also divided into branches based on animals which are being studied. Let’s take a look on the branches of zoology:
Anthrozoology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of the interactions and relationships between humans and other animals is termed as Anthrozoology. It spans the humanities and the social, behavioral and the biomedical sciences.
Figure 2. Two dogs paws in their owner's hands.
Arachnology
The branch of zoology which deals with the scientific study of arachnids, which consists of spiders and related species such as scorpions, pseudoscorpions and harvestmen, is termed as Arachnology.
Figure 3. A daddy long leg on the underside of a fern.
Archaeozoology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of dead animals including faunal remains such as their bones, shells and other body parts is termed as Archaeozoology. It is commonly known as Zooarchaeology.
Figure 4. The corpse of some pieces of gannet or marine bird, dead surrounded by old shells.
Bionics
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of the mechanical systems that function like living organisms or parts of living organisms is termed as Bionics. It is applied in architecture, medical, industrial design, and material science, etc.
Figure 5. Bionics
Cetology
The branch of zoology that deals with the study of marine animals such as dolphins, whales, porpoises etc. is termed as Cetology.
Figure 6. Many dolphins are breathing near the surface of the water.
Embryology
The branch of biology which deals with the study of the prenatal development of gametes, their fertilization and the development of embryos and fetuses is termed as Embryology.
Figure 7. The development of a human embryo inside a womb during pregnancy.
Entomology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of insects is termed as Entomology.
Here the sub-branches of entomology are listed below:
Coleopterology: Study of beetles.
Dipterology: Study of all types of flies.
Hemiptrology: Study of true bugs or hemiptera.
Isopterology: Study of termites.
Lepidopterology: Study of butterflies and moths.
Melittology: Study of bees, also known as Apiology.
Myrmecology: Study of ants.
Orthopterology: Study of grasshoppers, crickets, etc.
Trichopterology: Study of caddisflies.
Vescology: Study of wasps.
Ethology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of animal behavior, mainly focusing on behavior under natural conditions, and studying their behavior as an evolutionary adaptive trait is termed as Ethology.
Figure 8. A cat hunting a mouse at home.
Helminthology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of reptiles and amphibians is termed as Helminthology.
Batrachology: Study of amphibians.
Ophiology: Study of ophidians or snakes, also known as Ophidiology.
Ichthyology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of fish is termed as Ichthyology. It is also known as fish science.
Figure 9. People observing fish in an aquarium.
Malacology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of Mollusca like snails, slugs, clams, octopus and all the animals with shells that live in water is termed as Malacology.
Figure 10. Conchology: The sub-discipline of malacology which deals with the study of mollusk shells only.
Mammalogy
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of mammals and their characteristics is termed as Mammalogy. It is also known as Mastology, Theriology or Therology.
Figure 11. Wild animals in a grassland.
Nematology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of roundworms (nematodes) is termed as Nematology.
Figure 12. Ascaris nematode parasite on a petri dish.
Ornithology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of birds is termed as Ornithology.
Figure 13. Eastern bluebirds perched on a flowering branch.
Paleozoology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of fossil animals is termed as paleozoology. It identifies multicellular animals from a geographical perspective to establish prehistoric environments and their ecosystems.
Figure 14. Dinosaur fossil (Tyrannosaurus Rex)
Pathology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of diseases, pathogens, and their effects on afflicted animals is termed as Pathology.
Figure 15. Medical illustration of monkeypox virus.
Primatology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of the primates both living and extinct such as monkeys, apes and prosimians is termed as Primatology.
Figure 16. A gorilla.
Protozoology
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of Protozoa which are unicellular organisms such as amoeba is termed as Protozoology.
Zoogeography
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of the geographical distribution of the animal species both historical and contemporary in the world is termed as Zoogeography.
Zoography
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of the animals and their habitats is termed as Zoography. It is also known as descriptive zoology.
Figure 17. A white mouse in the laboratory.
Zoometry
The branch of zoology which deals with the study of the measurements such as lengths or sizes of the animal parts is termed as Zoometry.
Careers in Zoology
In this world, a lot of people are fascinated by animals, so zoology is a rather competitive field. Entry-level jobs in zoology usually require a bachelor’s degree, whereas more advanced positions may require a master’s or doctorate. However, there are many different types of jobs in zoology, such as:
Zoologist
As expected, being a zoologist would be on top of the list. Zoologists study animals within their environment whether they are in captivity or the wild. Their duties consist of fieldwork, laboratory experiments, preparing reports and presenting their research.
Researchers
Many zoologists are researchers, who study animals in lab and field settings. To be the head of the research lab, having a PHD is necessary.
Wildlife Rehabilitator
They care for wild animals which are orphaned or injured in order to improve their health, so that they can easily return to their natural habitat.
Zoo Curators/ Zookeepers
Many zoologists work in zoos, they take care of zoo animals, monitor their behavior, train them, and educate the public about them.
Conservationist
Many zoologists also work in conservation, where they do research and collect information about endangered species, and educate people about these species.
What can you do with a Zoology Degree?
With a zoology degree, the career opportunities are nearly endless. This education offers its students unique skills, due to which they can apply for a range of careers from academic positions, to field work and hands-on animal care. People who love learning about animals and working in a natural environment can thrive in any of these jobs.
Graph 1. Average salary range of a zoology graduate.
Bibliography
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Earl Dorchester Hanson. “Zoology.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 31 Jan. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/zoology.
Editors, B. D. “Zoology.” Biology Dictionary, 27 Apr. 2017, biologydictionary.net/zoology/.
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“Branches of Zoology.” Bio Explorer, www.bioexplorer.net/divisions_of_biology/zoology/.
“What Is Arachnology - Google Search.” Www.google.com, www.google.com/search?q=what+is+arachnology&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
Herzog, Harold. “Anthrozoology | Academic Discipline.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 Nov. 2016, www.britannica.com/science/anthrozoology.
Zoology, Department of. “Careers in Zoology.” Www.otago.ac.nz, 18 Oct. 2019, www.otago.ac.nz/zoology/resources/careers/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
Marsh, Jane. “What Can You Do with a Zoology Degree?” Environment Co, 19 Feb. 2023, environment.co/what-can-you-do-with-a-zoology-degree/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
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