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malacology
Sep. 3rd, 2024 07:41 ammalacology (mal-uh-KOL-uh-jee) - n., the study of mollusks.
Or more precisely, the branch of zoology that studies them. The study of specifically their shells is conchology, now considered an outdated thing to study as shell morphology is not a great guide to the organism as a whole, though conchologist is still humorously applied to shell collectors. Taken in the 1830s from French malacologie, shortened form of malacozoologie, from Malacozoa, the former name for the phylum Molluska, coined from Ancient Greek roots malakós, soft + zôion, animal.
---L.
Or more precisely, the branch of zoology that studies them. The study of specifically their shells is conchology, now considered an outdated thing to study as shell morphology is not a great guide to the organism as a whole, though conchologist is still humorously applied to shell collectors. Taken in the 1830s from French malacologie, shortened form of malacozoologie, from Malacozoa, the former name for the phylum Molluska, coined from Ancient Greek roots malakós, soft + zôion, animal.
---L.
