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Carcinology is a branch of zoology that consists of the study of crustaceans. Crustaceans are a large class of arthropods classified by having a hard exoskeleton made of chitin or chitin and calcium, three body regions, and jointed, paired appendages. Crustaceans include lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill, copepods, barnacles and crabs. Most crustaceans are aquatic, but some can be terrestrial, sessile, or parasitic.

The definition of carcinology originates from the Greek words - καρκίνος, karkínos, "crab"; and -λογία, -logia.Crustaceans are the primary focus of the scientific discipline known as carcinology.

A Carcinologist is a scientist who studies and works specifically with the different types of freshwater and saltwater crustaceans, such as crabs, lobsters, shrimps, crayfish and krill.
  
A Carcinologist focusses on the scientific study of all of the crustaceans to promote the knowledge on each species.

There are a few interesting and important topics focused on within this career:

• Taxonomy and genetics

• Morphology and physiology

• Behaviour of crustaceans

• Ecological impact of crustaceans

• Alternative food sources
  

(Source: Do Carcinology)

ANZSCO:  234522 [Zoologist]

Alternative names: Carcinology is also known as crustaceology, malacostracology, or crustalogy, and it seeks to investigate and better understand the biological characteristics of crustaceans.

Therefore: Crustaceologist, Malacostracologist, Crustalogist

Specialisations:

Carcinology is a subdivision of arthropodology, the study of arthropods which includes arachnids, insects, and myriapods. Carcinology branches off into taxonomically oriented disciplines such as:

• astacology – the study of crayfish

• cirripedology – the study of barnacles

• copepodology – the study of copepods
  

Did You Know? What is a Copepod? Copepods (/ˈkoʊpəpɒd/; meaning "oar-feet") are a group of small crustaceans found in nearly every freshwater and saltwater habitat. Some species are planktonic (living in the water column), some are benthic (living on the sediments), several species have parasitic phases, and some continental species may live in limnoterrestrial habitats and other wet terrestrial places, such as swamps, under leaf fall in wet forests, bogs, springs, ephemeral ponds, puddles, damp moss, or water-filled recesses of plants (phytotelmata) such as bromeliads and pitcher plants. Many live underground in marine and freshwater caves, sinkholes, or stream beds. Copepods are sometimes used as biodiversity indicators. "Seahorses may look lethargic but in fact they are lightening-fast predators of the copepods drifting past them in the currents – as many as 3,000 a day, by some estimates." (Source: Poseidonsweb)

Knowledge, skills and attributes

The skills required for a career as a Carcinologist can be divided into two very important groups. The first is the group containing life skills, which are the core skills that are necessary or desirable for full participation in everyday life. The second group is career skills, or the specific skills required to allow a person to enter and operate effectively within a specific career. Some or maybe even all of the life skills can assist in strengthening the career skills, and they might even be the same for specific careers.

Life Skills: Self-awareness Empathy Critical thinking Creative thinking Decision making Problem Solving Effective communication Interpersonal relationship   Career Skills Animal handling Animal care techniques Customer service skills Good health and physical fitness SCUBA certified Basic computer literacy

Balmain Bug Scientific name: Ibacus peronii Alternative name/s: Flapjack, Slipper Lobster, Butterfly Fan Lobster (Source: Australian Museum)

(Source: Museums Victoria)

Duties and Tasks

• Research species

• Plan and travel to study area

• Collect species for analysis

• Collect data and take photographs

• Keep proper record of species

• Attend seminars and conduct seminars

• Write reports

• Administration and filing
  
  

Working Conditions

In most cases a Carcinologist is employed by a research institution, universities, governments or zoos, aquariums, museums and theme parks. They may also be self employed.

Carcinologists spend the majority of their time working outdoors. The environment can range from inland lakes and rivers, to the seven seas.

Doing tests and writing reports can be done indoors in a laboratory or office.

The most difficult part of this career is being able to work with animals that can be dangerous.

They may also be required to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays and in difficult weather.

(Source: Do Carcinology)

Tools and Technologies

Tags - internally anchored, external visible T-bar, streamer tags, internal microwave tags, internal coloured latex tags

Gloves

Culture dishes to diagnose bacteria and viruses

Breeding tanks

Laboratory equipment eg. microscopes

Traps

Education and Training/entrance requirements

Generally, a Carcinologist must have at least a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree for an entry level job. Most Carcinologist start off with an undergraduate degree in Zoology, with majors in subjects such as marine biology, animal behaviour, animal science. They specialize in Carcinologist towards the end of the degree, as well as in Masters studies.

More scientific jobs will require a minimum of a Masters Degree.

Much of the practical things you will do need to be learned through the completion of short course, such as capturing and handling crustaceans, and getting your license in SCUBA diving.

Critical Thinking Spot

Poseidonsweb
What are Copepods? Essential to the Web of Life

Research the following article and extract 10 essential sentences.

Share with a partner - do you have the same sentences? Why? Why not?

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