Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...

" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of

amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

s (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians ( gymnophiona)) and

s (including snakes,

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

amphisbaenids The Amphisbaenidae (common name: worm lizards) are a family of amphisbaenians, a group of limbless vertebrates. Geographic range Amphisbaenids occur in South America, some Caribbean islands, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. Taxonomy One deep ...

, turtles, terrapins, tortoises, crocodilians, and the tuataras).

Birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

, which are Cladistics, cladistically included within Reptilia, are traditionally excluded here; the scientific study of birds is the subject of ornithology. Thus, the definition of herpetology can be more precisely stated as the study of ectothermic, ectothermic (cold-blooded) tetrapods. Under this definition "herps" (or sometimes "herptiles" or "herpetofauna") exclude fish, but it is not uncommon for herpetological and ichthyology, ichthyological scientific societies to collaborate. Examples include publishing joint Academic journal, journals and holding Conference, conferences in order to foster the exchange of ideas between the fields, as the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists does. Many Herpetological society, herpetological societies have been formed to promote interest in reptiles and amphibians, both Captivity, captive and wild. Herpetology offers benefits to Mankind, humanity in the study of the role of amphibians and reptiles in ecology, global ecology. Amphibians are often very sensitive to environmental changes, offering a visible warning to humans that significant changes are taking place. Some Toxin, toxins and Venom, venoms produced by reptiles and amphibians are useful in human medicine. Currently, some snake venom has been used to create anti-coagulants that work to treat Stroke, strokes and Myocardial infarction, heart attacks.

Naming and Etymology

The word ''herpetology'' is from Ancient Greek language, Greek: ἑρπετόν, ''herpetón'', "creeping animal" and , ''-logy, -logia'', "knowledge". People with an avid interest in herpetology and who keep different reptiles or amphibians often refer to themselves as "herpers". "Herp" is a vernacular term for non-avian

s and

s. It is derived from the old term "herpetile", with roots back to Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus's classification of animals, in which he grouped reptiles and amphibians together in the same class. There are over 6700 species of amphibians and over 9000 species of reptiles. In spite of its modern taxonomic irrelevance, the term has persisted, particularly in the names of herpetology, the scientific study of non-avian reptiles and amphibians, and herpetoculture, the captive care and breeding of reptiles and amphibians.

Subfields

The field of herpetology can be divided into areas dealing with particular Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic groups such as frogs (batrachology), snakes (ophiology or ophidiology), lizards (saurology) or Turtle, turtles (cheloniology, chelonology or testudinology). More generally, herpetologists work on functional problems in ecology, evolution, physiology, behavior etc. of amphibians and reptiles. That is, they chose to use amphibians or reptiles as model organisms for specific questions in these fields, such as the role of frogs in the ecology of a wetland. All of these areas are related through their evolutionary history, e.g. the evolution of viviparity (including behavior and reproduction).

Careers

Career options in the field of herpetology include, but are not limited to Research, lab research, Field research, field studies and survey, zoological staff, museum staff and college teaching. In modern academic science, it is rare for individuals to consider themselves a herpetologist first and foremost. Most individuals focus on a particular field such as ecology, evolution, Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, physiology, or molecular biology, and within that field ask questions pertaining to or best answered by examining reptiles and amphibians. For example, an evolutionary biologist who is also a herpetologist may choose to work on an issue such as the evolution of warning coloration in coral snakes. Modern herpetological writers include Mark O'Shea (herpetologist), Mark O'Shea and Philip A. Purser, Philip Purser. Modern herpetological showmen include Jeff Corwin, Steve Irwin, popularly known as the "Crocodile Hunter", and the star Austin Stevens, popularly known as "Austin Snakeman" in the TV series ''Austin Stevens: Snakemaster''.

Study

Most colleges or universities do not offer a major in herpetology at the undergraduate education, undergraduate or even the graduate school, graduate level. Instead, persons interested in herpetology select a major in the biology, biological sciences. The knowledge learned about all aspects of the Animal biology, biology of animals is then applied to an individual study of herpetology.

Journals

Herpetology research is published in honour demic journals including ''Ichthyology & Herpetology,'' founded in 1913 (under the name ''Copeia'' in honour of Edward Drinker Cope); ''Herpetologica,'' founded in 1936; ''Reptiles and amphibians'', founded in 1990; and ''Contemporary Herpetology,'' founded in 1997.

References

External links

Iranian Herpetological Studies Institute (IHSI)Field Herpetology GuideAmerican Society of Ichthyologists and HerpetologistsHerpetological Conservation and BiologySocietas Europaea Herpetologica
Distribution Maps for European Reptiles and Amphibians
Center for North American Herpetology
over 500 species of reptiles and amphibians
European Field Herping CommunityNew Zealand Herpetology

Chicago Herpetological SocietyBiology of the Reptilia
is an online copy of the full text of a 22-volume 13,000-page summary of the state of research of reptiles.
HerpMapper
is a database of

and

sightings
Amphibian and Reptile Atlas of Peninsular California
San Diego Natural History Museum
A Primer on Reptiles and AmphibiansField Herp Forum
{{Authority control Herpetology, Subfields of zoology Scoutcraft