The main difference between embryology and paleontology is that embryology is a branch of medicine concerned with the study of embryos and their development, whereas paleontology is a branch of science concerned with fossils of animals and plants.
Embryology and paleontology are two fields that show similarities and differences in characters in animals and plants. Similarities between characters often show the common ancestry of organisms.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Embryology
– Definition, Structure, Function
2. What is Paleontology
– Definition, Structure, Function
3. Similarities Between Embryology and Paleontology
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Embryology and Paleontology
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Embryology, Paleontology
What is Embryology
Embryology is a branch of medicine that focuses on the development of embryos and fetuses. Before the inventory of the microscope, it was based on descriptive and comparative studies. Marcello Malpighi proposed early embryology. The three types of studies in embryology include gametogenesis (the formation of gametes), fertilization (the fusion of gametes), and embryogenesis (the formation and development of the embryo). Furthermore, cleavage is the first step in the development of the embryo. It is a type of mitotic cell division, occurring after the fertilization of an egg with a sperm.
Figure 1: Embryonic Development
1 – Morula, 2 – Blastula
Moreover, cell division in embryonic development is specific to the type of animal. The two main types of cleavage are holoblastic cleavage and meroblastic cleavage. In the holoblastic cleavage, cell division can be radial, spiral, or rotational. Also, in this, the entire egg undergoes cell division to become an embryo. Whereas, in the meroblastic cleavage, some cells become the embryo, while others occur in the yolk sac. Therefore, it is not a complete cell division, and the division furrow does not protrude toward the yolk sac. In addition, the types of meroblastic cleavage include bilateral, discoidal, and centrolecithal cleavage.
What is Paleontology
Paleontology is a branch of science that studies the fossils of animals and plants. Therefore, it is the study of ancient life from dinosaurs and prehistoric plants to mammals, insects, and microbes. The main feature of paleontology is that it provides evidence of the changes undergone by animals over time. Generally, the study of fossils can allow us to classify organisms and study their interactions with each other and the environment. On the other hand, paleontology differs from archaeology by excluding the study of the anatomy of modern humans.
Figure 2: Fossil
Meanwhile, paleontology uses techniques in a wide range of sciences, including biochemistry, mathematics, and engineering. By this, it reveals the evolutionary history of life. Apart from that, paleontology lies on the borders of biology and geology. The subdivisions of paleontology also include different types of fossil organisms, the study of ancient ecology, and the study of environmental history, such as ancient climates.
Similarities Between Embryology and Paleontology
- Embryology and paleontology are two fields to find similarities and differences between organisms.
- Both fields show similar characters to define ancestral similarities.
Difference Between Embryology and Paleontology
Definition
Embryology refers to the branch of biology and medicine concerned with the study of embryos and their development while paleontology refers to the study of ancient life, from dinosaurs to prehistoric plants, mammals, fish, insects, fungi, and even microbes.
Type of Study
Embryology is a branch of medicine, while paleontology is a branch of science.
Significance
Embryology concerns embryos and their development, while paleontology concerns fossils of animals and plants.
Type of Life
Embryology studies the early life of development, while paleontology studies the ancient life of development.
Conclusion
In brief, embryology and paleontology are two types of studies that show similarities and differences between organisms. Both studies concern on characters of animals and plants. Generally, embryology shows the similarities and development of the early life of animals and plants. It also studies the early life of development. In comparison, paleontology shows similarities in fossils of animals and plants. However, it studies ancient life. Therefore, the main difference between embryology and paleontology is the type of lifecycle concerned with characters.
References:
- “Embryology.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation.
- “Paleontology.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
- “Blastulation” By Chiswick Chap – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
- “Tyrannosaurus Rex Holotype” By ScottRobertAnselmo- Own Work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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