The axolotl is currently on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Genetics and development Ĭompared with land-dwelling salamanders, the sexually mature adult Axolotl is a chimera (~ mixture) of larval and adult tissues. A mutation in hormone production slows the development of the non-sexual tissues compared to the gonads. So, it ends up as an adult which looks like a larva, except that it is sexually mature. This is an example of neoteny, a type of heterochrony. Axolotls in the lab have reduced pigmentation and end up being a lighter pink color, while axolotls that live in nature are a darker, brown to black color.With big branch-like gills, lizard-like limbs, and a cute perma-smile, it’s hard not to fall in love with the axolotl. Don’t worry, we’ll help you pronounce it. Phonetically, it’s “Ax-oh-lot-ul.” Atl means "water" and xolotl means "dog," after the Xolotl, the canine Aztec deity. While you might see plenty of white ones in captivity, the animal is normally greenish brown or black. White ones are known as “leucistic” and descend from a mutant male that was shipped to Paris in 1863. They were then specially bred to be white with black eyes (different from albinos, which generally have red eyes). Their feathery headdress is not just for show. The impossibly silly branches that grow from the axolotl’s head might not seem practical, but they’re actually the salamander’s gills. The filaments attached to the long gills increase surface area for gas exchange. Wild ones can only be found in one place. While you can find axolotls in aquariums and laboratories all over the world, it’s much harder to find them in the wild. The animals can only be found in the lakes and canals of Xochimilco, Mexico. The axolotl eats small fish, worms, and anything it can find that will fit in its mouth. They’re critically endangered.Īs a result of habitat loss, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species like tilapia and carp, these salamanders are being pushed closer and closer to extinction. In an attempt to revive the species, researchers have built “shelters” made from reeds and rocks to filter the water and create a more desirable living space. Unfortunately, the numbers continue to decline. There were about 6000 wild axolotls documented in a 1998 survey, but today, researchers are lucky to find any. Luckily, some have since been found roaming the water.įor a brief amount of time in 2014, biologists failed to find a single water dog, and feared the salamanders had gone extinct in the wild. And although it's not ideal, even if the elusive animal disappears from the wild entirely, the species continues to thrive in captivity. You can eat them.īefore the axolotl was an endangered species, Xochimilco natives would chow down on the salamanders. Axolotl tamales were a favorite, served whole with cornmeal. It is thought to be particularly useful in cases of consumption.” In 1787, Francesco Clavigero wrote that, "the axolotl is wholesome to eat, and is of much the same taste with an eel. Today, you can still taste one of these creatures-but you might have to travel to Japan to do it. A restaurant in Osaka serves whole axolotls, deep-fried. They apparently taste like white fish meat, but with a crunch. Xolotl was a dog-headed god from Aztec mythology.
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