‖ Batrachia, n. pl. Zool.
(bəˈtreɪkɪə)
[prop. batrachīa, mod.L., a. Gr. βατράχεια (sc. ζῷα animals), neut. pl. of βατράχειος, adj. f. βάτραχος frog.]
a. One of Brongniart's four orders of Reptiles, including frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, etc., which have no ribs, and a soft scaleless skin, and breathe by means of gills during the early part, or whole, of their existence. b. By modern zoologists restricted to an order of the class Amphibia, containing those animals only, as frogs and toads, which subsequently discard the gills and tail of their larval state. (The sing. is supplied by batrachian.)
| 1847 Carpenter Zool. §514 In the Proteidæ, or perenni-branchiate Batrachia, the gills remain during the whole of life. 1881 Mivart in Nature No. 615. 337 Efts of all kinds, with all frogs and toads..form the class Batrachia. |