Fauna is a term used to designate all of the different animals that inhabit a particular geographical region, regardless of how large or small. For example, zoologists might refer to the fauna of Brazil, the fauna of the tropical areas of Australia, the fauna of St. Helena Island, the fauna of the Atlantic coastal waters of North America, the fauna of Puget Sound, or the fauna of a small fresh-water lake in Minnesota.
Zoologists also refer to the fossil fauna of bygone geologic epochs, such as the fauna of the Oligocene epoch of about 30 million years ago. The term fauna is also applied to the animals inhabiting special limited regions. For example, zoologists might refer to the fauna of submerged ocean caves, to the parasitic insect fauna of a dog's skin and hair, or to the protozoal fauna of a cow's stomach. The term flora is used to designate the plant population of an area.
