What does a herpetologist study?

Herpetology is the branch of zoology that focuses on reptiles and amphibians. These are cold-blooded animals such as salamanders, frogs, toads, snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles. The term herpetology comes from the Greek words 'herpetón', which means 'creeping animal' and 'logia', meaning 'knowledge'.

There are over 6,700 species of amphibians and over 9,000 species of reptiles. Many herpetologists aim to promote interest in reptiles and amphibians. They also study the ways in which the creatures can benefit human well-being. Amphibians, for example, are often very sensitive to environmental changes, so can serve as a warning of potential climate hazards. Also, toxins and venons produced by both reptiles and amphibians have proved beneficial in medical treatments. Snake venom, for instance, has been used to produce anti-coagulants for stroke and heart attack patients.

Herpetology can be divided into areas dealing with specific creatures. The study of frogs is called batrachology, which takes its name from the Greek word for frog: 'bátrakhos'. Other examples of specific '-ologies' are the study of lizards: saurology, and the study of turtles: cheloniology.