Lepidology

Lepidology, also known as scales, is a special field of ichthyology. It deals with the structure and function of the scales.

Many questions of zoology and physiology can be clarified by studying the scales. For example, the age of most fish can be determined by the growth rings.

The specific arrangement of the scales and the structure of the shark skin z. B. served the flow researchers in wind tunnel tests as a model for the optimization of low-resistance surfaces that can be used on commercial aircraft.