Palaeoichthyologist is a mouthful of a word that refers to someone who studies ancient fish. However, this field of study has a number of related terms that can also be used to describe this profession. These include paleontologist, who deals with the study of fossils and evolution, and ichthyologist, who specializes in fish biology and ecology. Other related terms include paleobiologist, who studies fossils and their biological implications, and paleoecologist, who examines ancient ecosystems and their relationships to modern environments. Ultimately, these specialists all play an important role in the study of ancient fish and their place in the history of life on Earth.