<p><strong>Herpetological higher taxa nomina 4. Batrachia Brongniart, 1800</strong></p>

Abstract

The nomen Batrachia has been very extensively used in the scientific literature since 1800, but for two different taxa of recent amphibians. The first one, originally introduced by Brongniart (1800), corresponds to a taxon encompassing all recent taxa of frogs and salamanders but excluding the caecilians. The second one, used first by Oppel (1811), corresponds to a taxon including all recent amphibians (frogs, salamanders and caecilians). Both these nomina are shown here to be sozodiaphonyms, and therefore, under DONS, the latter must be definitively rejected as invalid, in favour of the nomen Lissamphibia Gadow, 1898. As for Batrachia Brongniart, 1800, we also consider it for the time being as invalid, as the trichotomy involving the three main groups of recent amphibians is not yet resolved. But if the sister-taxa relationship between Anura and Urodela is later confirmed, the nomen Batrachia, which is currently a hypnokyronym, will be available for it.