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congo snake

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congo snake

–noun
any of several eel-shaped salamanders, as the amphiuma or siren.
Also called congo eel.


Origin:
1825–35, Americanism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Congo eel  
n.  An eellike amphibian (Amphiuma means) of the southeast United States, having two pairs of tiny nonfunctioning legs. Although it is almost completely aquatic, it can move overland. Also called Congo snake.
Congo snake  
n.  See Congo eel.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

congo snake

any of three species of North American salamanders belonging to the family Amphiumidae (order Caudata). Because they are long and slender and have inconspicuous legs, they are often mistaken for eels or snakes. The body is gray or brown and paler on the lower side. The usual habitat is swamps and drainage ditches

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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