Ichthyology

Ichthyology is the study of fish. It looks at all kinds of fish, from bony fish to cartilaginous fish and jawless fish. Fish come in many shapes and sizes, making this a very interesting field to explore.

As of March 2025, scientists had described more than 35,800 different species of fish. This shows just how many different types of fish there are to learn about. Studying fish helps us understand more about our oceans, rivers, and lakes, and how these animals live and grow.

Fish are important for many reasons. They are a major food source for people around the world. They also play key roles in many ecosystems, helping to keep water areas healthy. By learning more about fish, scientists can help protect these important animals and the places where they live.

History

The study of fish goes back to very old times, even from the Upper Paleolithic Revolution. People needed fish for food and other uses, and early hunters and gatherers learned which fish were best to catch and when. They shared these ideas through art.

Later, famous thinkers added to our knowledge. Aristotle was one of the first to study fish in a scientific way. He described many kinds of fish from the Mediterranean and compared them to other sea animals. After Aristotle, other scientists kept learning more about fish.

During the European Renaissance, three important scholars—Hippolito Salviani, Pierre Belon, and Guillaume Rondelet—began modern fish studies. They looked at real fish instead of just reading old books.

As travel and exploration grew, more fish from faraway places were discovered. Books like Naturalis Brasilae and Historia Piscium helped organize what scientists knew. Carl Linnaeus, known for naming plants and animals, also helped create ways to group fish. His work led to better understanding of how fish are related.

In the 1800s, scientists like Georges Cuvier and Louis Agassiz wrote huge books describing thousands of fish species. Explorers in North America added many new fish to science books. Today, ichthyology continues to grow as we discover and learn about more fish around the world.

Modern publications

Organizations

Notable ichthyologists

See also: Notable fisheries scientists and List of marine biologists

This list includes people who have done important work studying fish. They may have written many names for fish species, created big books about fish, started important journals or museums, or done other notable work in fish science.

Some well-known names include:

• Alexander Emanuel Agassiz
• Louis Agassiz
• Emperor Akihito of Japan
• Eugenie Clark
• Carl Linnaeus
• Joseph S. Nelson, author of Fishes of the World
• Shigeho Tanaka

Paleoichthyologists

These scientists study ancient fish from long ago:

• Hans C. Bjerring
• Erik Jarvik
• Erik Stensiö

Non-academic ichthyologists

• Sakana-kun