Axolotl

The axolotl (/ˈæksəlɒtəl/; from Classical Nahuatl: āxōlōtl; Ambystoma mexicanum) is a type of mole salamander. Unlike most salamanders, axolotls stay in their young form their whole lives. This is called being neotenic. Because of this, they stay fully aquatic and have visible external gills that look like they are in the larval stage.

Axolotls originally lived in wetlands and lakes in the highlands of Mexico, especially in places like Xochimilco and Chalco. Human actions, such as draining these lakes, have damaged their homes. Now, wild axolotls are nearly extinction because their homes have been lost and because of invasive species like tilapia and carp. They are critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Axolotls are important in scientific research because they can regenerate lost body parts, like limbs and even parts of their eyes and brains. This makes them useful model organisms. Axolotls are also found in zoos and public aquariums, and some people keep them as pets. They have inspired many characters and stories.

Nomenclature

The word "axolotl" comes from the Nahuatl language. It can mean things like "water slave", "water servant", or "water sprite". The axolotl is named after Xolotl, an Aztec God. Xolotl ruled over fire, lightning, the dead, and twins.

Sometimes people say "Mexican axolotl" to make it clear they are talking about this special kind of salamander. The word "axolotl" can also refer to other similar salamanders that change into adults.

Description

Axolotls are special kinds of salamanders that live in water all their lives. They usually grow between 15 to 45 cm long, with 23 cm being common. They look like baby salamanders because they keep their external gills, unlike most salamanders that lose theirs when they grow up. This trait is called neoteny.

Axolotls have wide heads and eyes without lids. Their limbs are small with long, thin digits. They have three pairs of external gill stalks behind their heads, which help them breathe. Males can be identified by swollen areas near their tails, while females look wider when they have eggs. Axolotls come in many colors, including brown, pink, grey, white, and black, depending on genetic changes. One amazing ability of axolotls is their power to regrow lost body parts, such as limbs, tails, and even parts of their brains and eyes.

Wild population

Lake Xochimilco is one of the last places where wild axolotls live. Axolotls are related to the tiger salamander and other Mexican salamanders. They live in high-altitude water surrounded by difficult land, which may have helped them develop neoteny—the ability to stay underwater their whole lives.

Axolotls eat small animals like mollusks, worms, insects, and small fish. They use their sense of smell to find food and can grab it quickly with strong suction. Wild axolotls become ready to reproduce at about 1.5 years old. However, their home in the Mexican Central Valley has become much smaller because of the growth of Mexico City. Pollution, new fish that are not native, and loss of genetic diversity make it hard for them to survive. People are working to save axolotls by breeding them in labs and putting them back into cleaner water, but this is still difficult.

Relation to humans

The axolotl has a long history with humans. Explorer Alexander von Humboldt wrote about people in Mexico eating axolotls. In 1863, scientists in Paris received axolotls from Mexico and began studying them. These studies helped scientists learn about how some animals stay young forever.

Today, axolotls are important in scientific research. They are easy to care for in labs and have special features that help scientists study heart development, nerve growth, and how animals can regrow lost body parts. Their embryos are large and easy to see, making them perfect for studying how animals develop.

Axolotls are also popular pets. They need cool water around 16–18 °C (61–64 °F) to stay healthy. Pet axolotls eat food like trout pellets, bloodworms, earthworms, and waxworms. It’s important to give them safe bedding to avoid health problems. In Mexico, axolotls are culturally important, appearing in art, money, and even video games like Minecraft. They also inspired characters like Toothless in How to Train Your Dragon.