Amphiuma

Genus of Amphibia of the order Urodela and family Amphiumidae. Very similar to the water newt, it is eel-like, about 60 cm/2 ft long, has two or three jointless toes on each of its four limbs, minute eyes, and numerous teeth.

As a tadpole it has gills, but in adult life only the gill slits remain. It lives in ponds and marshes, and buries itself in mud in the winter. The Congo snake A. means is a three-toed species which lives in Louisiana, USA; it is erroneously believed to venomous.