Some of the Zoology Terms and their Meaning are discussed below. The terms are taken from taxonomic hierarchy – Phylum, Class, Order etc. The words are taken from either Greek or Latin word. The meaning of the terms will help you to understand the origin of the word.
Table of Contents
Terms of Non-Chordates :
1) Systematics: Systema = together
2) Nomenclature: Nomen = name; Clautura = calling
3) Porifera: Porous = pare ferre = to bear
4) Calcarea: Calcarious = limy
5) Calcispongiae: Calcis – lime or chalk
6) Hexactinellida; Hex = Six; aktis = ray; ell = suffix added
7) Hyalospongiae: Hyaleos = glassy
8) Demospongiae: Demos = people
9) Cnidaria: Knide = stinging cells.
10) Hydrozoa: Hydros = water
11) Scyphozoa: Skyphos = cup
12) Cubozoa: Cubo = cube
13) Anthozoa: Anthos = flower
14) Ctenophora: Ktenes = Combs ; ophora = bearing
15) Platyhelminthes: Platys = flat; helminthes = worms
16) Turbellaria: Turbella = a little string.
17) Trematoda: Trematodes = perforated.
18) Monogenea: Monos = single; genos = race
19) Cestoidea (Cestoda): Kestos = girdle; cestus = ribbon; eidos= form
20) Nematoda: Nematos = thread ; eidos = form
21) Adenophorea: Adenophorea = gland bearing.
22) Annelida: Annela, annulatus = little ring.
23) Polychaeta: Poly = many; chaeta = setae/bristles
24) Oligochaeta: Oligos = few ; chaeta = bristles
25) Hirudinea: Hirudo = a leech
26) Arthropoda: Arthron = a joint; podos = foot, leg
27) Trilobita: Tri = three; lobos = lobe ; morphe = shape
28) Chelicerata: Chele = claw
29) Merostomata: Meros = thigh ; stomatos mouth
30) Arachnida: Arachne = spider
31) Crustacea: Crusta = hard shell
32) Ostracoda: Ostrakodes = testaceous resembling a shell
33) Copepoda: Kope = handle
34) Cirripedia: Cirrus = curled; pedis = foot
35) Malacostraca: Malakos = soft; ostracon = a shell
36) Uniramia: Uniramos= single branch
37) Chilopoda: Cheilos = a lip
38) Diplopoda: Diplos = double
39) Insecta: In = into; sectus = cleft, cut ; insecti = insect
40) Mollusca: Mollis = soft
41) Aplacophora: A=without ; plakos = a sheet, sheet of wood; phoros= bearing
42) Polyplacophora: Poly = many ; plakos = a sheet of wood.
43) Monoplacophora: Mono= single ; plakos = sheet of wood ; phoros = bearing
44) Gastropoda: Gastros = stomach ; podos = foot.
45) Bivalvia: bi=two; valvae = folding doors
46) Scaphopoda: Skaphe = a boat ; podos= foot,
47) Cephalopoda: Kephale = head ; podos = foot
48) Echinodermata: Echinos= spiny; derma = skin
49) Crinozoa: Crinon = lily
50) Asterozoa: Aster = star
51) Ophiuroidea: Ophis = snake ; oura = tail ; aidos= form
52) Echinozoa: Echinos = a hedge hog
53) Holothuroidea: Holothurian = a water polyp
Terms of Chordates :
1) Chordata: Chorde = cord, string
2) Urochordata: Uros = tail; chorde = string
3) Cephalochordata: Kephale = head ; chorda = string
4) Agnatha: A=without; gnathos = jaw
5) Cyclostomata: Cyklos = Circular ; stoma = mouth.
6) Chondrichthyes: Chondros = Cartilage; ichthys = fish
7) Sarcopterygii: Sarcos = fleshy ; pterygium = fin
8) Actinopterygii: Actis = ray ; pteryx = fin.
9) Osteichthyes: Osteon = bone; icthys = fish
10) Amphibia: Amphi = dual; bios = life
11) Anura: A = without; uros = tail
12) Apoda: A = without; podos = foot.
13) Urodela: Uros = tail ; delos = visible
14) Reptilia: Repere, reptum = to creep, crawl
15) Anapsida: A= without; apsis= arch
16) Chelonia: Chelone = tortoise
17) Lepidosauria: Lepis = scale ; squaros = lizard.
18) Rhynchocephalia: Rhynchos= a snout ; Kephale = a head.
19) Squamata: Squamatas = scaly.
20) Crocodilia: Crocodilus = Crocodile
21) Mammalia:
22) Prototheria: Protos = first ; therion = beast.
23) Theria: Therion = beast
24) Metatheria: Meta = next to
25) Marsupialia: Marsupium = a sac.
26) Eutheria: Eu=true; therion = beast.
27) Insectivora: Insecta = insects ; voro= to eat.
28) Chiroptera: Cheir = hand ; pteron = wing.
29) Dermoptera: Derma = skin ; pteron = wing.
30) Edentata: E/ex=without ; dens = tooth.
31) Pholidota: Pholis = scale.
32) Primates: Primes = first.
33) Rodentia: Rodere = to gnaw
34) Lagomorpha: logos = hare ; morph = form
35) Cetacea: Cetas = whale
36) Carnivora: Carno = flesh ; voro to eat.
37 Tubilidentata: Tubulus = small tube; dens = teeth
38) Hyracoidea: Hyrax = shrew ; eides = form.
39) Sirenia: Siren = sea nymph.
40) Perrisodactyla: Perissos = odd ; dactylos= finger.
41) Artiodactyla: Artios = even ; dactylos = finger
These Zoology Terms and their Meaning bring help you to understand the species belonging with that special characters.