Zoological Terminology **You will need these notes throughout the ENTIRE semester!**
Why do we need to learn these words? Veterinarians/Doctors use these terms to discuss the animal injuries, where to inject shots, or just general explanations of animals. If you decide to go into the field of veterinarian medicine, you will already have an advantage in your degree or job! It will help you better learn and understand things that are discussed during this course.
Directional/Positional Terms Anterior: the side of the body that the face is directed Posterior: the side of the body that the back is directed Cranial: towards the head or skull end of the body Caudal: towards the rump or tail end of the body
Directional/Positional Terms Rostral: pertaining to the nose end or towards the nose Dorsal: pertaining to the back of an animal Ventral: the belly or the underside of an animal
Directional/Positional Terms Proximal: nearest to the main part of the body relative to another body part; usually refers to limbs Distal: position furthest from the main part of the body relative to another body part; usually refers to limbs
Directional/Positional Terms Medial: closer to the center of the body Lateral: farther away from the center of the body
Directional/Positional Terms Oral: pertaining to the mouth Orbital: pertaining to the eyes or the bone surrounding the eye Palmar: the bottom part of the fore limbs; the palm/bottom side of the hands or paws Plantar: the bottom part of the hind limbs; the soles/bottom side of the feet or paws
Anatomical Orientation (Planes) Sagittal plane: An imaginary line or axis that goes through the body separating left and right halves. Frontal plane: An imaginary line or axis that goes through the body separating dorsal and ventral halves or sections. Transverse plane: An imaginary line or axis that goes through the body separating anterior and posterior halves or sections.
Zoological Terms a-, an-: not or without aero- : air or gas alb- : something white or pale in color amni- : the membranous sac surrounding a fetus/embryo amphi- : pertaining to both sides anti- : against or opposed to something arthro-: joints or limbs avi-: bird or flying
Zoological Terms bi- : two, double, twice bio- : life blast-: germ (the growing of) or bud carn-: meat or flesh caud-: tail cephal-: pertaining to the head/brain cervi- : pertaining to the top of neck cheli-: claws or pinchers chemo-: chemicals
Zoological Terms choano-: funnel or collar chondri-: cartilage or gristle chrom-: color cili-: pertaining to small hair-like structures cnido-: sting -coel-: cavity or hollow space crani-: pertaining to the skull -cyst: sac, pouch, bladder cyto-, -cyte : cell
Zoological Terms dactyl-: digit or fingers/toes derm- : pertaining to the skin/tissue di- : two dia-: (Greek) through/across or (Latin) day dis-: to take apart or separate dorso-: pertaining to the back of an animal echino-: spiny or prickly ecto-: outer or outside endo-: inside or within
Zoological Terms entom-: insects epi-: on or above eu-: true or proper exo-: outside of another gastro-: pertaining to the stomach gen-: beginning gnath-: pertaining to the jaw gono-: seed or reproductive seed (sex cell) helminth: worm
Zoological Terms hemo- : pertaining to the blood herb- : plants herp- : reptiles hetero- : different homo- : same hydro- : water ichthy- : fish infra- : below inter- : between or among
Zoological Terms karyo- : nucleus lacto- : pertaining to milk mamm- : pertaining to the breast marg- : border or edge melan- : dark or black meso- : middle mono- : one morph- : change shape or form nephro- : pertaining to the kidney
Zoological Terms neuro- : pertaining to the nervous system noct- : night oligo- : few, little -ologist : a person who studies -ology : the study of ornith- : bird osteo- : bone partheno- : virgin -ped-, -pod: pertaining to the foot
Zoological Terms peri- : around -philic : attraction to or strong liking for -phobic : fear of or strong dislike of -phore : to bear or carry photo- : pertaining to light platy- : flat poly- : many or plurality por- : pore or porous post- : after
Zoological Terms pre- : before pseudo- : false or fake reticulo- : net spermat- : pertaining to sperm cell sym- : similar to terra- : terrestrial, earth, or land tetra- : four therm- : heat thorac- : pertaining to the upper chest
Zoological Terms -toxin : poison trans- : to move across tri- : three tympano- : eardrum umbil- : pertaining to the navel (bellybutton) uni- : one utero- : pertaining to the uterus ventro- : pertaining to the belly of an animal zo- : pertaining to animals or animal life