古动物学是专门研究生活在远古时代的动物结构，与生存状态的学科。其研究主要通过化石（FOSSIL）这种远古时期动物遗留在地层中的痕迹来进行，研究对象包括动物的足迹和遗迹化石，如洞穴和粪便等。

Palaeozoology, also spelled as Paleozoology (Greek: παλαιόν, palaeon "old" and ζῷον, zoon "animal"), is the branch of paleontology, paleobiology, or zoology dealing with the recovery and identification of multicellular animal remains from geological (or even archeological) contexts, and the use of these fossils in the reconstruction of prehistoric environments and ancient ecosystems.