Plural Nouns Starting with P

Pachydermata (n. pl.) A group of hoofed mammals distinguished for the thickness of their skins, including the elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tapir, horse, and hog. It is now considered an artificial group.

Paducahs (n. pl.) See Comanches.

PahUtes (n. pl.) See Utes.

Palamedeae (n. pl.) An order, or suborder, including the kamichi, and allied South American birds; -- called also screamers. In many anatomical characters they are allied to the Anseres, but they externally resemble the wading birds.

Palatonares (n. pl.) The posterior nares. See Nares.

Paleechinoidea (n. pl.) An extinct order of sea urchins found in the Paleozoic rocks. They had more than twenty vertical rows of plates. Called also Palaeechini.

Paleichthyes (n. pl.) A comprehensive division of fishes which includes the elasmobranchs and ganoids.

Palenque (n. pl.) A collective name for the Indians of Nicaragua and Honduras.

Paleocarida (n. pl.) Same as Merostomata.

Paleocrinoidea (n. pl.) A suborder of Crinoidea found chiefly in the Paleozoic rocks.

Palliobranchiata (n. pl.) Same as Brachiopoda.

Palmidactyles (n. pl.) A group of wading birds having the toes webbed, as the avocet.

Palmipedes (n. pl.) Same as Natatores.

Paludicolae (n. pl.) A division of birds, including the cranes, rails, etc.

Pampas (n. pl.) Vast plains in the central and southern part of the Argentine Republic in South America. The term is sometimes used in a wider sense for the plains extending from Bolivia to Southern Patagonia.

Pamperos (n. pl.) A tribe of Indians inhabiting the pampas of South America.

Pantastomata (n. pl.) One of the divisions of Flagellata, including the monads and allied forms.

Pantopoda (n. pl.) Same as Pycnogonida.

Papiliones (n. pl.) The division of Lepidoptera which includes the butterflies.

Papilionides (n. pl.) The typical butterflies.

Papuars (n. pl.) The native black race of Papua or New Guinea, and the adjacent islands.

Paralipomenon (n. pl.) A title given in the Douay Bible to the Books of Chronicles.

Parapherna (n. pl.) The property of a woman which, on her marriage, was not made a part of her dower, but remained her own.

Paraphernalia (n. pl.) Something reserved to a wife, over and above her dower, being chiefly apparel and ornaments suited to her degree.

Paraphernalia (n. pl.) Appendages; ornaments; finery; equipments.

Parasita (n. pl.) An artificial group formerly made for parasitic insects, as lice, ticks, mites, etc.

Parasita (n. pl.) A division of copepod Crustacea, having a sucking mouth, as the lerneans. They are mostly parasites on fishes. Called also Siphonostomata.

Parcae (n. pl.) The Fates. See Fate, 4.

Paridigitata (n. pl.) Same as Artiodactyla.

Parietes (n. pl.) The walls of a cavity or an organ; as, the abdominal parietes; the parietes of the cranium.

Parietes (n. pl.) The sides of an ovary or of a capsule.

Passeres (n. pl.) An order, or suborder, of birds, including more that half of all the known species. It embraces all singing birds (Oscines), together with many other small perching birds.

Pauropoda (n. pl.) An order of small myriapods having only nine pairs of legs and destitute of tracheae.

Pawnees (n. pl.) A tribe of Indians (called also Loups) who formerly occupied the region of the Platte river, but now live mostly in the Indian Territory. The term is often used in a wider sense to include also the related tribes of Rickarees and Wichitas. Called also Pani.

Pearlins (n. pl.) Alt. of Pearlings

Pearlings (n. pl.) A kind of lace of silk or thread.

Pecora (n. pl.) An extensive division of ruminants, including the antelopes, deer, and cattle.

Pectinibranchiata (n. pl.) A division of Gastropoda, including those that have a comblike gill upon the neck.

Pectostraca (n. pl.) A degenerate order of Crustacea, including the Rhizocephala and Cirripedia.

Pedata (n. pl.) An order of holothurians, including those that have ambulacral suckers, or feet, and an internal gill.

Pediculati (n. pl.) An order of fishes including the anglers. See Illust. of Angler and Batfish.

Pediculina (n. pl.) A division of parasitic hemipterous insects, including the true lice. See Illust. in Appendix.

Pedimana (n. pl.) A division of marsupials, including the opossums.

Pedunculata (n. pl.) A division of Cirripedia, including the stalked or goose barnacles.

Pelecaniformes (n. pl.) Those birds that are related to the pelican; the Totipalmi.

Pelecypoda (n. pl.) Same as Lamellibranchia.

Pelicosauria (n. pl.) A suborder of Theromorpha, including terrestrial reptiles from the Permian formation.

Pellibranchiata (n. pl.) A division of Nudibranchiata, in which the mantle itself serves as a gill.

Penates (n. pl.) The household gods of the ancient Romans. They presided over the home and the family hearth. See Lar.

Penetralia (n. pl.) The recesses, or innermost parts, of any thing or place, especially of a temple or palace.

Penetralia (n. pl.) Hidden things or secrets; privacy; sanctuary; as, the sacred penetralia of the home.

Pennatulacea (n. pl.) A division of alcyonoid corals, including the seapens and related kinds. They are able to move about by means of the hollow muscular peduncle, which also serves to support them upright in the mud. See Pennatula, and Illust. under Alcyonaria.

Pentagynia (n. pl.) A Linnaean order of plants, having five styles or pistils.

Pentamera (n. pl.) An extensive division of Coleoptera, including those that normally have five-jointed tarsi. It embraces about half of all the known species of the Coleoptera.

Pentandria (n. pl.) A Linnaean class of plants having five separate stamens.

Pentastomida (n. pl.) Same as Linguatulina.

Pentecostals (n. pl.) Offerings formerly made to the parish priest, or to the mother church, at Pentecost.

Peorias (n. pl.) An Algonquin tribe of Indians who formerly inhabited a part of Illinois.

Pequots (n. pl.) A tribe of Indians who formerly inhabited Eastern Connecticut.

Percesoces (n. pl.) An order of fishes including the gray mullets (Mugil), the barracudas, the silversides, and other related fishes. So called from their relation both to perches and to pikes.

Perciformes (n. pl.) An extensive tribe or suborder of fishes, including the true perches (Percidae); the pondfishes (Centrarchidae); the sciaenoids (Sciaenidae); the sparoids (Sparidae); the serranoids (Serranidae), and some other related families.

Percoidea (n. pl.) Same as Perciformes.

Percomorphi (n. pl.) A division of fishes including the perches and related kinds.

Perennibranchiata (n. pl.) Those Batrachia which retain their gills through life, as the menobranchus.

Perforata (n. pl.) A division of corals including those that have a porous texture, as Porites and Madrepora; -- opposed to Aporosa.

Perforata (n. pl.) A division of Foraminifera, including those having perforated shells.

Periecians (n. pl.) See Perioecians.

Perioeci (n. pl.) Alt. of Perioecians

Perioecians (n. pl.) Those who live on the same parallel of latitude but on opposite meridians, so that it is noon in one place when it is midnight in the other. Compare Antoeci.

Periscians (n. pl.) Alt. of Periscii

Periscii (n. pl.) Those who live within a polar circle, whose shadows, during some summer days, will move entirely round, falling toward every point of the compass.

Perissodactyla (n. pl.) A division of ungulate mammals, including those that have an odd number of toes, as the horse, tapir, and rhinoceros; -- opposed to Artiodactyla.

Peritricha (n. pl.) A division of ciliated Infusoria having a circle of cilia around the oral disk and sometimes another around the body. It includes the vorticellas. See Vorticella.

Permians (n. pl.) A tribe belonging to the Finnic race, and inhabiting a portion of Russia.

Petalosticha (n. pl.) An order of Echini, including the irregular sea urchins, as the spatangoids. See Spatangoid.

Petechiae (n. pl.) Small crimson, purple, or livid spots, like flea-bites, due to extravasation of blood, which appear on the skin in malignant fevers, etc.

Pettitoes (n. pl.) The toes or feet of a pig, -- often used as food; sometimes, in contempt, the human feet.

Phaenogamia (n. pl.) The class of flowering plants including all which have true flowers with distinct floral organs; phanerogamia.

Phalangoidea (n. pl.) A division of Arachnoidea, including the daddy longlegs or harvestman (Phalangium) and many similar kinds. They have long, slender, many-jointed legs; usually a rounded, segmented abdomen; and chelate jaws. They breathe by tracheae. Called also Phalangides, Phalangidea, Phalangiida, and Opilionea.

Phanerocarpae (n. pl.) Same as Acraspeda.

Phanerodactyla (n. pl.) Same as Saururae.

Phanerogamia (n. pl.) That one of the two primary divisions of the vegetable kingdom which contains the phanerogamic, or flowering, plants.

Pharyngobranchii (n. pl.) Same as Leptocardia.

Pharyngognathi (n. pl.) A division of fishes in which the lower pharyngeal bones are united. It includes the scaroid, labroid, and embioticoid fishes.

Pharyngopneusta (n. pl.) A group of invertebrates including the Tunicata and Enteropneusta.

Phenogamia (n. pl.) Same as Phaenogamia.

Phocodontia (n. pl.) A group of extinct carnivorous whales. Their teeth had compressed and serrated crowns. It includes Squalodon and allied genera.

Phryganeides (n. pl.) A tribe of neuropterous insects which includes the caddice flies; -- called also Trichoptera. See Trichoptera.

Phylactolaema (n. pl.) Alt. of Phylactolaemata

Phylactolaemata (n. pl.) An order of fresh-water Bryozoa in which the tentacles are arranged on a horseshoe-shaped lophophore, and the mouth is covered by an epistome. Called also Lophopoda, and hippocrepians.

Phylactolema (n. pl.) Alt. of Phylactolemata

Phylactolemata (n. pl.) Same as Phylactolaema.

Phyllopoda (n. pl.) An order of Entomostraca including a large number of species, most of which live in fresh water. They have flattened or leaflike legs, often very numerous, which they use in swimming. Called also Branchiopoda.

Physaliae (n. pl.) An order of Siphonophora which includes Physalia.

Physemaria (n. pl.) A group of simple marine organisms, usually classed as the lowest of the sponges. They have inflated hollow bodies.

Physoclisti (n. pl.) An order of teleost in which the air bladder has no opening.

Physophorae (n. pl.) An order of Siphonophora, furnished with an air sac, or float, and a series of nectocalyces. See Illust. under Nectocalyx.

Physopoda (n. pl.) Same as Thysanoptera.

Physostomi (n. pl.) An order of fishes in which the air bladder is provided with a duct, and the ventral fins, when present, are abdominal. It includes the salmons, herrings, carps, catfishes, and others.

Phytophaga (n. pl.) A division of Hymenoptera; the sawflies.

Phytozoaria (n. pl.) Same as Infusoria.

Piatti (n. pl.) Cymbals.

Picariae (n. pl.) An extensive division of birds which includes the woodpeckers, toucans, trogons, hornbills, kingfishers, motmots, rollers, and goatsuckers. By some writers it is made to include also the cuckoos, swifts, and humming birds.

Pici (n. pl.) A division of birds including the woodpeckers and wrynecks.

Piciformes (n. pl.) A group of birds including the woodpeckers, toucans, barbets, colies, kingfishes, hornbills, and some other related groups.

Picts (n. pl.) A race of people of uncertain origin, who inhabited Scotland in early times.

Pierides (n. pl.) The Muses.

Piles (n. pl.) The small, troublesome tumors or swellings about the anus and lower part of the rectum which are technically called hemorrhoids. See Hemorrhoids. [The singular pile is sometimes used.]

Pilifera (n. pl.) Same as Mammalia.

Pincers (n. pl.) See Pinchers.

Pinchers (n. pl.) An instrument having two handles and two grasping jaws working on a pivot; -- used for griping things to be held fast, drawing nails, etc.

Pinnigrada (n. pl.) Same as Pinnipedia.

Pinnipedes (n. pl.) Same as Steganopodes.

Pinnipedia (n. pl.) A suborder of aquatic carnivorous mammals including the seals and walruses; -- opposed to Fissipedia.

Pinnywinkles (n. pl.) An instrument of torture, consisting of a board with holes into which the fingers were pressed, and fastened with pegs.

Pintos (n. pl.) A mountain tribe of Mexican Indians living near Acapulco. They are remarkable for having the dark skin of the face irregularly spotted with white. Called also speckled Indians.

Pisces (n. pl.) The twelfth sign of the zodiac, marked / in almanacs.

Pisces (n. pl.) A zodiacal constellation, including the first point of Aries, which is the vernal equinoctial point; the Fish.

Pisces (n. pl.) The class of Vertebrata that includes the fishes. The principal divisions are Elasmobranchii, Ganoidei, and Teleostei.

Pitheci (n. pl.) A division of mammals including the apes and monkeys. Sometimes used in the sense of Primates.

Placentalia (n. pl.) A division of Mammalia including those that have a placenta, or all the orders above the marsupials.

Placodermata (n. pl.) Same as Placodermi.

Placodermi (n. pl.) An extinct group of fishes, supposed to be ganoids. The body and head were covered with large bony plates. See Illust. under Pterichthys, and Coccosteus.

Placoganoidei (n. pl.) A division of ganoid fishes including those that have large external bony plates and a cartilaginous skeleton.

Placoides (n. pl.) A group of fishes including the sharks and rays; the Elasmobranchii; -- called also Placoidei.

Placophora (n. pl.) A division of gastropod Mollusca, including the chitons. The back is covered by eight shelly plates. Called also Polyplacophora. See Illust. under Chiton, and Isopleura.

Plagiostomi (n. pl.) An order of fishes including the sharks and rays; -- called also Plagiostomata.

Plagiotremata (n. pl.) Same as Lepidosauria.

Planarida (n. pl.) A division of Turbellaria; the Dendrocoela.

Planipennia (n. pl.) A suborder of Neuroptera, including those that have broad, flat wings, as the ant-lion, lacewing, etc. Called also Planipennes.

Plantigrada (n. pl.) A subdivision of Carnivora having plantigrade feet. It includes the bears, raccoons, and allied species.

Plastidozoa (n. pl.) Same as Protoza.

Plathelminthes (n. pl.) Same as Platyelminthes.

Platyelminthes (n. pl.) A class of helminthes including the cestodes, or tapeworms, the trematodes, and the turbellarians. Called also flatworms.

Platyhelmia (n. pl.) Same as Platyelminthes.

Platypoda (n. pl.) Same as Prosobranchiata.

Platyptera (n. pl.) A division of Pseudoneuroptera including the species which have four broad, flat wings, as the termites, or white-ants, and the stone flies (Perla).

Platyrhini (n. pl.) A division of monkeys, including the American species, which have a broad nasal septum, thirty-six teeth, and usually a prehensile tail. See Monkey.

Pleadings (n. pl.) The mutual pleas and replies of the plaintiff and defendant, or written statements of the parties in support of their claims, proceeding from the declaration of the plaintiff, until issue is joined, and the question made to rest on some single point.

Plectognathi (n. pl.) An order of fishes generally having the maxillary bone united with the premaxillary, and the articular united with the dentary.

Plectospondyli (n. pl.) An extensive suborder of fresh-water physostomous fishes having the anterior vertebrae united and much modified; the Eventognathi.

Plegepoda (n. pl.) Same as Infusoria.

Pleiades (n. pl.) The seven daughters of Atlas and the nymph Pleione, fabled to have been made by Jupiter a constellation in the sky.

Pleiades (n. pl.) A group of small stars in the neck of the constellation Taurus.

Plesiosauria (n. pl.) An extinct order of Mesozoic marine reptiles including the genera Plesiosaurus, and allied forms; -- called also Sauropterygia.

Pluroderes (n. pl.) A group of fresh-water turtles in which the neck can not be retracted, but is bent to one side, for protection. The matamata is an example.

Pliers (n. pl.) A kind of small pinchers with long jaws, -- used for bending or cutting metal rods or wire, for handling small objects such as the parts of a watch, etc.

Pneumonophora (n. pl.) The division of Siphonophora which includes the Physalia and allied genera; -- called also Pneumatophorae.

Pneumootoka (n. pl.) Same as Sauropsida.

Pneumophora (n. pl.) A division of holothurians having an internal gill, or respiratory tree.

Podophthalmia (n. pl.) The stalk-eyed Crustacea, -- an order of Crustacea having the eyes supported on movable stalks. It includes the crabs, lobsters, and prawns. Called also Podophthalmata, and Decapoda.

Podostomata (n. pl.) An order of Bryozoa of which Rhabdopleura is the type. See Rhabdopleura.

Poecilopoda (n. pl.) Originally, an artificial group including many parasitic Entomostraca, together with the horseshoe crabs (Limuloidea).

Poecilopoda (n. pl.) By some recent writers applied to the Merostomata.

Poephaga (n. pl.) A group of herbivorous marsupials including the kangaroos and their allies.

Polyactinia (n. pl.) An old name for those Anthozoa which, like the actinias, have numerous simple tentacles.

Polyadelphia (n. pl.) A Linnaean class of plants having stamens united in three or more bodies or bundles by the filaments.

Polyandria (n. pl.) A Linnaean class of monoclinous or hermaphrodite plants, having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.

Polybranchia (n. pl.) A division of Nudibranchiata including those which have numerous branchiae on the back.

Polychaeta (n. pl.) One of the two principal groups of Chaetopoda. It includes those that have prominent parapodia and fascicles of setae. See Illust. under Parapodia.

Polycystidea (n. pl.) A division of Gregarinae including those that have two or more internal divisions of the body.

Polycystina (n. pl.) A division of Radiolaria including numerous minute marine species. The skeleton is composed of silica, and is often very elegant in form and sculpture. Many have been found in the fossil state.

Polycyttaria (n. pl.) A division of Radiolaria. It includes those having one more central capsules.

Polygamia (n. pl.) A Linnaean class of plants, characterized by having both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant.

Polygamia (n. pl.) A name given by Linnaeus to file orders of plants having syngenesious flowers.

Polygastrica (n. pl.) The Infusoria.

Polygynia (n. pl.) A Linnaean order of plants having many styles.

Polymyodae (n. pl.) Same as Oscines.

Polynesians (n. pl.) The race of men native in Polynesia.

Polypi (n. pl.) The Anthozoa.

Polypifera (n. pl.) The Anthozoa.

Polyplacophora (n. pl.) See Placophora.

Polypomedusae (n. pl.) Same as Hydrozoa.

Polyprotodonta (n. pl.) A division of marsupials in which there are more fore incisor teeth in each jaw.

Polypteroidei (n. pl.) A suborder of existing ganoid fishes having numerous fins along the back. The bichir, or Polypterus, is the type. See Illust. under Crossopterygian.

Polystomata (n. pl.) A division of trematode worms having more two suckers. Called also Polystomea and Polystoma.

Polythalamia (n. pl.) A division of Foraminifera including those having a manychambered shell.

Polyzoa (n. pl.) Same as Bryozoa. See Illust. under Bryozoa, and Phylactolaemata.

Populares (n. pl.) The people or the people's party, in ancient Rome, as opposed to the optimates.

Porifera (n. pl.) A grand division of the Invertebrata, including the sponges; -- called also Spongiae, Spongida, and Spongiozoa. The principal divisions are Calcispongiae, Keratosa or Fibrospongiae, and Silicea.

Poriferata (n. pl.) The Polifera.

Posteriors (n. pl.) The hinder parts, as of an animal's body.

Postnares (n. pl.) The posterior nares. See Nares.

Potamospongiae (n. pl.) The fresh-water sponges. See Spongilla.

Potashes (n. pl.) Potash.

Praecoces (n. pl.) A division of birds including those whose young are able to run about when first hatched.

Praecognita (n. pl.) This previously known, or which should be known in order to understand something else.

Praenares (n. pl.) The anterior nares. See Nares.

Praetores (n. pl.) A division of butterflies including the satyrs.

Precoces (n. pl.) Same as Praecoces.

Premices (n. pl.) First fruits.

Priapulacea (n. pl.) A suborder of Gephyraea, having a cylindrical body with a terminal anal opening, and usually with one or two caudal gills.

Primates (n. pl.) The highest order of mammals. It includes man, together with the apes and monkeys. Cf. Pitheci.

Principia (n. pl.) First principles; fundamental beginnings; elements; as. Newton's Principia.

Proboscidea (n. pl.) An order of large mammals including the elephants and mastodons.

Proboscidifera (n. pl.) An extensive division of pectinibranchiate gastropods, including those that have a long retractile proboscis, with the mouth at the end, as the cones, whelks, tritons, and cowries. See Illust. of Gastropoda, and of Winkle.

Proboscidifera (n. pl.) A subdivision of the taenioglossate gastropods, including the fig-shells (Pyrula), the helmet shells (Cassis), the tritons, and allied genera.

Proceeds (n. pl.) That which comes forth or results; effect; yield; issue; product; sum accruing from a sale, etc.

Proceres (n. pl.) An order of large birds; the Ratitae; -- called also Proceri.

Procoelia (n. pl.) A division of Crocodilia, including the true crocodiles and alligators, in which the dorsal vertebrae are concave in front.

Proctucha (n. pl.) A division of Turbellaria including those that have an intestine terminating posteriorly.

Proctucha (n. pl.) The Nemertina.

Prognathi (n. pl.) A comprehensive group of mankind, including those that have prognathous jaws.

Props (n. pl.) A game of chance, in which four sea shells, each called a prop, are used instead of dice.

Prosimiae (n. pl.) Same as Lemuroidea.

Prosobranchiata (n. pl.) The highest division, or subclass, of gastropod mollusks, including those that have the gills situated anteriorly, or forward of the heart, and the sexes separate.

Prosopocephala (n. pl.) Same as Scaphopoda.

Prosopulmonata (n. pl.) A division of pulmonate mollusks having the breathing organ situated on the neck, as in the common snail.

Proteidea (n. pl.) An order of aquatic amphibians having prominent external gills and four legs. It includes Proteus and Menobranchus (Necturus). Called also Proteoidea, and Proteida.

Proteroglypha (n. pl.) A suborder of serpents including those that have permanently erect grooved poison fangs, with ordinary teeth behind them in the jaws. It includes the cobras, the asps, and the sea snakes. Called also Proteroglyphia.

Protista (n. pl.) A provisional group in which are placed a number of low microscopic organisms of doubtful nature. Some are probably plants, others animals.

Protoplasta (n. pl.) A division of fresh-water rhizopods including those that have a soft body and delicate branched pseudopodia. The genus Gromia is one of the best-known.

Prototheria (n. pl.) Same as Monotremata.

Prototracheata (n. pl.) Same as Malacopoda.

Protozoa (n. pl.) The lowest of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom.

Protracheata (n. pl.) Same as Malacopoda.

Pseudobacteria (n. pl.) Microscopic organic particles, molecular granules, powdered inorganic substances, etc., which in form, size, and grouping resemble bacteria.

Pseudoneuroptera (n. pl.) division of insects (Zool.) reticulated wings, as in the Neuroptera, but having an active pupa state. It includes the dragon flies, May flies, white ants, etc. By some zoologists they are classed with the Orthoptera; by others, with the Neuroptera.

Pseudoscorpiones (n. pl.) An order of Arachnoidea having the palpi terminated by large claws, as in the scorpions, but destitute of a caudal sting; the false scorpions. Called also Pseudoscorpii, and Pseudoscorpionina. See Illust. of Book scorpion, under Book.

Pseudotetramera (n. pl.) A division of beetles having the fifth tarsal joint minute and obscure, so that there appear to be but four joints.

Psilopaedes (n. pl.) birds whose young at first have down on the pterylae only; -- called also Gymnopaedes.

Psittaci (n. pl.) The order of birds which comprises the parrots.

Ptenoglossa (n. pl.) A division of gastropod mollusks having the teeth of the radula arranged in long transverse rows, somewhat like the barbs of a feather.

Pteranodontia (n. pl.) A group of pterodactyls destitute of teeth, as in the genus Pteranodon.

Pteridophyta (n. pl.) A class of flowerless plants, embracing ferns, horsetails, club mosses, quillworts, and other like plants. See the Note under Cryptogamia.

Pterobranchia (n. pl.) An order of marine Bryozoa, having a bilobed lophophore and an axial cord. The genus Rhabdopleura is the type. Called also Podostomata. See Rhabdopleura.

Pterocletes (n. pl.) A division of birds including the sand grouse. They are in some respects intermediate between the pigeons and true grouse. Called also Pteroclomorphae.

Pterodactyli (n. pl.) Same as Pterosauria.

Pteropappi (n. pl.) Same as Odontotormae.

Pteropoda (n. pl.) A class of Mollusca in which the anterior lobes of the foot are developed in the form of broad, thin, winglike organs, with which they swim at near the surface of the sea.

Pterosauria (n. pl.) An extinct order of flying reptiles of the Mesozoic age; the pterodactyls; -- called also Pterodactyli, and Ornithosauria.

Ptilopaedes (n. pl.) Same as Dasypaedes.

Ptilopteri (n. pl.) An order of birds including only the penguins.

Pudenda (n. pl.) The external organs of generation.

Pulmogasteropoda (n. pl.) Same as Pulmonata.

Pulmonata (n. pl.) An extensive division, or sub-class, of hermaphrodite gastropods, in which the mantle cavity is modified into an air-breathing organ, as in Helix, or land snails, Limax, or garden slugs, and many pond snails, as Limnaea and Planorbis.

Pulmonibranchiata (n. pl.) Same as Pulmonata.

Pulmonifera (n. pl.) Same as Pulmonata.

Pupipara (n. pl.) A division of Diptera in which the young are born in a stage like the pupa. It includes the sheep tick, horse tick, and other parasites. Called also Homaloptera.

Pupivora (n. pl.) A group of parasitic Hymenoptera, including the ichneumon flies, which destroy the larvae and pupae of insects.

Pycnodontini (n. pl.) An extinct order of ganoid fishes. They had a compressed body, covered with dermal ribs (pleurolepida) and with enameled rhomboidal scales.

Pycnogonida (n. pl.) A class of marine arthropods in which the body is small and thin, and the eight legs usually very long; -- called also Pantopoda.

Pygobranchia (n. pl.) A division of opisthobranchiate mollusks having the branchiae in a wreath or group around the anal opening, as in the genus Doris.

Pygropodes (n. pl.) A division of swimming birds which includes the grebes, divers, auks, etc., in which the legs are placed far back.

Pyrognostics (n. pl.) The characters of a mineral observed by the use of the blowpipe, as the degree of fusibility, flame coloration, etc.

Pythonomorpha (n. pl.) Same as Mosasauria.

About the author

Mark McCracken Author: Mark McCracken is a corporate trainer and author living in Higashi Osaka, Japan. He is the author of thousands of online articles as well as the Business English textbook, "25 Business Skills in English".

Copyright © 2011 Mark McCracken , All Rights Reserved. , found 246 occurrences in 1 file(s)