The branch of biology, which encompasses a comprehensive study of the animal kingdom and explores the structure, classification, embryology, evolution and distribution of animals, is referred to as zoology. In the Linnaean classification system, animals are grouped into the classes of Mammalia, Amphibia, Insecta, Pisces, Aves and Vermes. Some of the major sub-disciplines of zoology are animal physiology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, behavioral ecology, etc. This textbook provides comprehensive insights into the field of zoology. Some of the diverse topics covered in this book address the varied branches that fall under this category. It is a complete source of knowledge on the present status of this important field.

Endowed with abundant water, extraordinary ecoystems, varied climates and biomes, our planet is teeming with creatures, great and small. What produced this rich diversity? How have so many species formed, evolved and adapted? What effects are humans having on the rest of the animal kingdom and on the natural environment we share? 30-Second Zoology explains the diversification process of evolution, then introduces the main groups of invertebrates and vertebrates. Breathing, seeing, communicating and other key features of animal physiology and behaviour are explored, as are the ecological relationships between Earth’s myriad species – the predators, the prey, the parasites and the positively poisonous – before assessing the anthropogenic effects of pollution, over-harvesting and a changing climate. Covering everything from the origins of life and the most basic of organisms, all the way through to the more complex creatures that we recognise today, 30-Second Zoology aims to showcase the most fantastic examples of life on our earth, all in 300 words and one stunning illustration per topic.

The field requires both learning and unlearning to develop forms of critical thinking that are scientifically informed and ethically sensitive.

Written for the one-term, undergraduate course, An Introduction to Zoology: Investigating the Animal World provides students with an accessible and engaging look at the fundamentals of zoology. This student-friendly text is driven by the underlying concepts of zoology rather than the memorization of terminology from the field. The authors take care to write in a style students can relate to as to not overwhelm them with encyclopedic passages. They go on to include Connects sections at the end of each chapter which discuss how the animals in the chapter connect to students from and economic, ecologic, medical, and cultural perspective, to emphasize how the animal world and the human realm are intimately intertwined.

General Zoology: Investigating the Animal World is an introductory level college biology textbook that provides students with an accessible and engaging look at the fundamentals of zoology. Written for a one-term, undergraduate course of mixed majors and non-majors, this reader-friendly text is concept driven vs. terminology driven. That is, the text is based on the underlying concepts and principles of zoology rather than strict memorization of terminology. Written in a student-centered, conversational style, this educational research-based textbook uniquely connects students and our society to animals from various perspectives—economic, ecologic, medical, and cultural, exploring how the animal world and human realm are intimately intertwined. End-of-chapter questions challenge students to think critically and creatively while incorporating science process skills and zoological principles.