African clawed frog

noun

variants or less commonly African clawed toad

: a smooth-skinned, tongueless frog (Xenopus laevis) native to sub-Saharan Africa that has webbed feet with sharp black claws on the inner three toes and is often used in biological research (as in the study of genetics and animal development)

called also clawed frog, platanna

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above