conger eel n
[. . .]
3 = congo eel n 1. [Prob an etymologizing “correction” of congo eel n 1, which appears to be in fact from earlier congo snake n 2] chiefly LA
1851 De Bow’s Rev. 11.53 LA, In the autumn of 1850 I found, embedded in the mud of one of our sloughs . . a conger eel, having four legs, very small and short. The eel was about 1¼ inch in diameter, and 20 inches long, nearly black on the back while the belly was mottled yellow, brown and dark. 1868 New Orleans Crescent (LA) 17 June 1/4, He kicked it, when it also began to move, but slowly, dragging its wounded length along, and proved to be a conger eel, which the moccasin had dragged out of the gutter and was about to devour piecemeal when interrupted by the belated wayfarer. 1890 VA Univ. Mag. 33.378 sLA, The perfectly harmless conger-eel of the Louisiana bayous and ponds, quiet and inoffensive creature that he is, for some mysterious reason, is the pet and particular aversion of the negroes of the plantations. [Ibid 379 [Black], “But chile,” continued he, . . “don’t you never fool with no congo-eels, they is far too dangerous.”] 1932 Monroe News–Star (LA) 5 Dec 1/1, The eel commonly called the lamprey is not a lamprey at all, but a conger eel. The conger eel has the distinction of having rudimentary feet and legs and strong jaws. 1986 Clarion–Ledger (Jackson MS) 21 Aug sec C 1/1 nwFL, I was pleasantly surprised to even see a “lamprey eel” (or “conger” eel, as some fisherfolk call the huge, slithery, legged creatures I used to pull out of old tires sunk in the Indian Bayou as a kid). Being in a museum, the creature is labeled Three-toed Amphiuma.