Ichthyologists study fish in various specialties and organizations, including taxonomy, conservation, behavior, and aquarium maintenance. They identify and classify fish, conduct research, teach, and publish papers. To become an ichthyologist, one needs an undergraduate degree in zoology or biology and an advanced degree in ichthyology. Specialized skills for fieldwork, such as scuba diving, can be helpful.
An ichthyologist is a scientist who studies fish. Ichthyologists work in a variety of specialties and in a variety of organizations. They perform taxonomy, which consists of identifying and classifying fish, for museum collections, and they teach and conduct research at universities. They work for environmental and government organizations to study fish in relation to their environmental habitats and learn how to best conserve them. Other areas of expertise that ichthyologists work in include behavior, husbandry, maintenance of public and private aquariums, and much more.
Museum ichthyologists identify and classify fish species, conduct research and collect data. Many ichthyologists specialize in freshwater or marine fish or certain subsets of these groups. An ichthyologist may work in the field, traveling to different parts of the world to collect samples. Preservation of collected fish is also an important part of the work that a museum ichthyologist can do. The university’s ichthyologists teach undergraduate and graduate courses in biology, ichthyology, ecology, and more, conduct research projects, and publish papers on their findings.
Ichthyologists in conservation specialties work for government agencies, environmental groups and other organizations. They conduct research related to fish populations and management. They produce guides and catalogs of fish and fish larvae in specific geographic areas and prepare environmental impact reports.
Other ichthyologists work for public aquariums as educators, fish breeders, exhibit developers, and in other capacities. The maintenance of private aquariums is a popular hobby, and educated people like ichthyologists can often be found working in fish stores. They also write and edit for consumer publications on keeping fish.
To become an ichthyologist, it is important to have an interest in nature and animals, and especially a passion for fish. Most people pursuing careers in this field earn undergraduate degrees in zoology or biology or a combination of the two and then go on to earn advanced degrees in ichthyology. Ichthyology programs can be found at many universities and in some museums. Typically, a master’s or doctoral degree is required for higher-level positions in the field. To teach at a college or university or to conduct university-level research, a doctoral degree is almost always required.
Before starting to study in the field, it’s important to talk to an ichthyologist about the job. To find out if the career is a good fit, prospective ichthyologists may want to help professionals in the field. Learning specialized skills for fieldwork, such as scuba diving or other languages, can be helpful.
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