Fauna

Fauna encompasses the diverse animal species inhabiting a specific area or era. This term complements flora (plants) and funga (fungi), with all life forms collectively known as biota. Scientists utilize fauna to describe characteristic animal assemblages, such as the "Amazon rainforest fauna" or "Cambrian explosion fauna." In paleontology, faunal stages denote rock layers containing comparable fossil remains. Faunistics, a specialized field, focuses on investigating and cataloging the animal life within a particular geographical region or ecosystem.