# Eel like creatures **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784 "2001-09-25T20:52:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![portajon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@portajon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/portajon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/1 "2001-09-25T20:52:10Z")
My brother in law clears farm land in eastern NC. He has found several specimens of an eel like creature that seems to be found (at least by us) exclusively in the dense root mat of large deciduos trees. They are dark grey to black in color, 8" to 16", very small and useless appendages at rear, small eyes (we think they are blind), rounded broad head kinda like catfish, tapering to eel like torso and tail. I have been trying to identify these things for over a year…what the hell is it? ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/2 "2001-09-25T21:03:13Z")
Perhaps it is a [caecilian](http://www.caecilian.org/)? ---
**Author:** ![Firx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Firx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firx)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/3 "2001-09-25T21:08:33Z")
Perhaps it is some sort of salamander. Do [any of these](http://www.enature.com/search/show_search_thumb.asp?sort=1&curGroupID=7&searchText=) fit the bill? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/4 "2001-09-25T21:20:23Z")
There are no native caecilains in the U.S., and in any case they don’t have any appendages in the rear. It certainly sounds like a salamander with very reduced legs, except that the most reduced forms (like the Amphiuma shown in Firx’s link) are generally aquatic. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/5 "2001-09-25T21:28:50Z")
Perhaps glass snakes, which are actually legless or vestigial-legged lizards? The habitat sounds right. Quick test for this one - do the tails break off like lizards? That’s where the name comes from. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/6 "2001-09-25T21:32:19Z")
maybe an Axolotl? (although my research seems to indicate that these are native only to Mexico, so maybe not ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/7 "2001-09-25T21:46:43Z")
[Mudpuppies](http://herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/amphibians/salamanders/mudpuppy.html)? _Necturus Maculosus_ ---
**Author:** ![Firx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Firx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firx)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/8 "2001-09-25T21:48:25Z")
Here are a [few](http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/zooary/zoo/stock/reptiles/glass_lizard.html) [links](http://www.discovery.com/exp/lizards/low_glass.html) to [glass](http://www.uga.edu/srel/legless_lizard.htm) [lizards](http://www.neoperceptions.com/scra/lizards/images/sglass1.jpg) (glass snakes). They have a distinctly snake-like appearance, so judging from the OP’s “eel like” description, I don’t think they are what he’s looking for. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/9 "2001-09-25T21:51:27Z")
Here’s [a link to North Carolina salamander species](http://www.eclectasy.com/underarock/ncspecieslist.html), including Sirens, Hellbenders, Mudpuppies, and Waterdogs. Those are great names, dontcha think? ---
**Author:** ![portajon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@portajon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/portajon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/10 "2001-09-25T21:53:43Z")
have already researched mud puppies, am quite familiar with the glass lizzard and the other suggestions are beyond habitat…hmmmmmm ---
**Author:** ![portajon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@portajon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/portajon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/11 "2001-09-25T22:05:52Z")
Thanks for the link…think we have a winner!!! The two toed amphiuma (Amphiuma means) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eel-like-creatures/83784/12 "2001-09-25T22:21:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by portajon \* > \*\*Thanks for the link…think we have a winner!!! The two toed amphiuma (Amphiuma means) \*\* Whoo-hoo! What do I win? Can I keep one? They are cuddly…