Biology Stack Exchange
Biology Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [zoology]

The biological study of animals. Very broad use so be sure to add additional clarifying tags

A field of biology focused on the study of the animal kingdom. Includes study of, but not limited to, natural history, ecology, anatomy, physiology, ethology (behavior), embryology, distributions, classification and evolutionary biology. Questions should explicitly seek answers on the biology of animals.

Zoology is a very broad field, so more focused tags should be included when using the zoology tag. Commonly paired tags with zoology include , , , , , and .

The study of specific animal groups also typically have dedicated tags: (/)

See also:

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Are there any animals that are both poisonous and venomous?

From my layman understanding, animals that inject venom into the bloodstream by biting or poking are venomous. And ones that harm you when you eat them are poisonous. Are there any animals (or plants) that fit both descriptions? I'm guessing eating…
Stephen S
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Why is the Red Fox colored bright orange?

They're not poisonous or anything, so it can't be aposematism. As far as I know it doesn't come from diet like the flamingo. They're not apex predators, so they can't get away with it (like tigers), and honestly it seems like a big risk factor…
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Would a shark whip into a frenzy from smelling its own blood?

Sharks normally respond very quickly to the scent of blood in up to a mile radius, but what if the shark itself simply got injured? Would it respond to its own blood at all?
RayOfHope
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Why Crocodiles don't eat Hippos?

I have been following documentaries about crocodiles and amazingly, crocodiles and hippos apparently seem to live happily in the same pond together without attacking each other. Why is it so? Like no matter how strong hippo is, its soft skin is no…
Failed Scientist
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Examples of animals that co-opt toxins?

It is known that there are animals that acquire toxins through their diet or through their surroundings. The examples I know of include butterflies stocking up on alkaloids/glycosides while in the caterpillar stage (monarchs snacking on milkweed…
user132
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Hippos in infrared

Watching Netflix's "Night on Earth", I discovered that Hippos, or at least some Hippos, have quite a weird appearance in infrared. They seem to be covered by IR bright spots all over their body, possibly excluding their heads. Something similar can…
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How does a jumping spider manage to "jump" on the ceiling?

I just witnessed a small jumping spider jump on some kind of louse or bed bug on the ceiling. How does it do that without falling? I have yet to find a high-speed-camera video of a jumping spider jumping on a ceiling. My hypothesis is that the…
Kal
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If I put a cup over a spider, and leave it there for a day, will the spider survive?

Will it travel more slowly since it hasn't had food for a day? What if I left the cup there for longer?
InquilineKea
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What causes notches in elephants' ears?

What causes the elephants' ear to rip like this? Is it a natural process as they get old, or it's injuries, like consequence of fighting with other elephants?
Wes
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Will the "frog in boiling water not jumping out" work on warm blooded animals

There is the famous saying about a frog that is put in water that are slowly boiling will not jump out until it's too late. I realize it happens because of the frog's cold blood that adjusts to the temperature change until it's too late. Will this…
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Why are there so many species of bats?

I read that roughly 20% of all species of mammals are bats. Is there a good explanation for why bats have diversified so much compared to other mammals? Is it because bats' ability to fly allows them to fill niches that are completely out of reach…
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Why Egg shell is not called a cell wall?

Egg is a single cell and has a outer hard covering outside inside which there is a cell membrane. Then why isn't the egg shell a cell wall? Is it because no exchange of materials take place through it?
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Why do the feet of the Gecko Lizard not stick to Teflon surfaces?

I have noticed that lizards feet can stick to walls but not to Teflon surfaces? Why is that?
Fyce
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Laying eggs vs giving birth: is there a connection with internal vs. external ears?

I have heard that "The animals who have their 'EARS' outside their body give birth to their young ones and the animals who have their 'EARS' inside their body lay eggs." Is this true? Are there counterexamples?
kashif
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Is it true that oral sex exists in non-human animals?

For example, outside of humans, do other species of animals engage in oral sex, or any oral stimulation of others' genitals purely for pleasure, not any cleansing habits, etc.? Basically, what I am saying is, is it true that oral sex, like in…
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