Ichthyology
The scientific study of fish, from ancient observations to modern taxonomy.
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The study of fish, encompassing bony, cartilaginous, and jawless varieties, is what the zoological subfield of ichthyology focuses on.[1] FishBase's tally of described fish species stood at 35,800 in March 2025.[2]
Key facts and history
Scholars studying the Sea of Galilee have identified commercially important native fish species harvested there.[3] Within the Judeo-Christian tradition, one finds early, non-formal scientific accounts of fish.[3] Consuming fish that lack scales or appendages was prohibited by the kashrut laws found in the Old Testament.[3] Among the native fish of the Sea of Galilee are cyprinids from the Barbus and Mirogrex genera, as well as cichlids belonging to Sarotherodon.[3]
Formal scientific study of fish was initiated by Aristotle.[4] During the period from 333 to 322 BC, Aristotle created the first known taxonomic system for fish, detailing 117 species found in the Mediterranean.[4] Differences in anatomy and behavior between fish and marine mammals were also recorded by Aristotle.[4]
What the research sources say
A 2023 account from the Saxum Visitor Center lists the European eel, catfish, two tilapia species, three barbel species, the Galilee sardine, and Tristramella simonis simonis as fish of the Sea of Galilee.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Ichthyology" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Ichthyology" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: FishBase: October 2016 Update. Retrieved 7 October 2016. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Ichthyology" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Ancient fish bones reveal non-kosher diet of ancient Judeans, say researchers", ScienceDaily; Nun, Mendel (1993). "Cast Your Net Upon the Waters: Fish and Fishermen in Jesus' Time". Biblical Archaeology Review. 19 (6).; Sanchez de Lamadrid Rey, "The Good and Bad Fish in the Sea of Galilee", Saxum Visitor Center, 19 September 2023 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Ichthyology" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gudger, "The Five Great Naturalists of the Sixteenth Century: Belon, Rondelet, Salviani, Gesner and Aldrovandi: A Chapter in the History of Ichthyology", Isis, 1934, p. 21–40 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Sanchez de Lamadrid Rey, "The Good and Bad Fish in the Sea of Galilee", Saxum Visitor Center, 19 September 2023. facts only, no text reused. saxum.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Ichthyology (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Ichthyology (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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