Ichthyology

Ichthyology is the study of fishes (i.e., the clade vertebrata), including jawless fishes (agnatha), cartilaginous fishes (chondrichthyes), and bony fishes (osteichthyes), including both the ray-finned fishes (actinopterygii) and the lobe-finned fishes (sarcopterygii), though generally with the exception of tetrapods, or “land vertebrates” (tetrapodomorph lobe-finned fish) who are instead covered under herpetology.

Major Subdisciplines

Herpetology — deals with tetrapodomorph lobe-finned fishes, generally excluding birds and mammals; i.e., the study of “reptiles & amphibians”.

Mammalogy — the study of mammals.

Ornithology — the study of avian dinosaurs (birds).

Osteology — the study of bones.