Branchia (pl. branchiæ) is the name given by the Ancient Greek naturalists to the gills of fish. Galen observed that they are full of little foramina, big enough to admit air and gas, but too fine to give passage to water. Pliny held that fish respired by their gills, but observed that Aristotle was of another opinion.

The word branchia comes from the Greek , "gills", plural of (in singular, meaning a fin)."Branchia". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2nd Ed. 1989.

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