Ichthyology is the branch of zoological sciences devoted to the systematic study of fishes, encompassing their taxonomy, phylogeny, morphology, physiology, development, behavior, ecology, and biogeography. It addresses both extant and extinct fish lineages, integrating molecular and morphological data to resolve evolutionary relationships and classification. Ichthyological research underpins understanding of aquatic ecosystem structure and function, population dynamics, and species responses to environmental change. It provides critical foundations for fisheries science, conservation biology, and environmental monitoring by characterizing species diversity, life histories, habitat requirements, and patterns of endemism, as well as identifying indicators of ecosystem health and anthropogenic impact in marine, brackish, and freshwater systems.
Anybody who has seen "Finding Nemo" knows about those captivating monsters of the sea: anglerfishes. Variously horrific or alien-looking, many female anglerfishes sport long, protruding lures used for enticing prey or signaling ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 8, 2026
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"It takes a village to raise a child" doesn't apply merely to humans. Many species of mammals, birds, fish, and various invertebrates have evolved complex social care systems known as cooperative breeding. In these animal ...
Evolution
Apr 5, 2026
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45
How did ancient fish perceive their environment in the deep sea? An international team led by scientists from the Natural History Museum of Geneva (MHNG) and the University of Geneva (UNIGE) reveals that some coelacanths—fish ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 26, 2026
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21
Emperor cichlids, large fish native to Lake Tanganyika in Africa, don't like being stared at, especially if someone's gaze is directed at their offspring. Those are the findings of a new study published in the journal Royal ...
Roughly 425 million years ago, in the warm seas over what is now southern China, there lived a meter-long bony fish with jaws full of clusters of spiky teeth.
Paleontology & Fossils
Mar 8, 2026
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103
Recently-revealed notebooks belonging to a late paleontologist contain the missing information needed to help researchers finish their study of a remarkable fossil discovered nearly three decades ago.
Paleontology & Fossils
Mar 3, 2026
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106
For many animals, siblings are a key component of their social environment during early life. Previous research has shown that the early social environment is important, but it has not yet been clear whether the number of ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 23, 2026
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14
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan have discovered a previously undiscovered behavior in cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). When presented with a mirror, the tiny fish not only recognized themselves, ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 20, 2026
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120
A new international study reveals the unexpected importance of acoustic communication in the evolution of boxfishes. This discovery offers new perspectives on the role of acoustic communication in the evolutionary history ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 10, 2026
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35
Most shark fossils are just teeth—their cartilage skeletons usually decay long before they can fossilize. But in northwestern Arkansas, a series of geological sites known as the Fayetteville Shale has preserved dozens of ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Feb 9, 2026
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