Ichthyology

Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes the bony fish (Osteichthyes), the cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes) such as sharks and rays, and the jawless fish (Agnatha). Since there are as many species of fish as all other vertebrates put together, and they have been evolving for a very long time, there is a bewildering variety; while most species have probably been found and described, there is much that is still not known about biology and behavior.

Notable ichthyologists

The names are followed by their fields of specialization and major contributions:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Alexander Emanuel Agassiz
• Louis Agassiz
• Peter Artedi
• William O. Ayres - California
• Spencer Fullerton Baird
• Tarleton Bean
• Pieter von Bleeker - East Indies
• Marcus Elieser Bloch
• George Albert Boulenger
• Edward Drinker Cope
• Georges Cuvier
• Francis Day - India
• Bashford Dean
• Carl H. Eigenmann
• Samuel Garman
• Charles Henry Gilbert
• Theodore Nicholas Gill
• Charles Girard
• George Brown Goode
• Albert Günther
• Carl L. Hubbs
• David Starr Jordan
• Seth Meek
• John Treadwell Nichols - China, founder of Copeia
• John Richardson Norman
• C. Tate Regan
• Donn E. Rosen
• Edwin C. Starks
• Franz Steindachner
• Achille Valenciennes
• Francis Willughby