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Axolotl


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A half year old albino axolotl
Albino Axolotl
Axolotl
Axolotl
Axolotl
The axolotl is a medium-sized amphibian that is only found in one complex of lakes that are close to Mexico City in south-central Mexico. The axolotl is today kept as a popular freshwater aquarium pet all around the world.

The axolotl is most closely related to the tiger salamander which inhabits the waters in a similar region of Mexico. However, axolotls can be easily distinguished from salamanders as the axolotl retains it\'s tadpole-like appearance for it\'s whole life, therefore axolotls and young tiger salamanders are easily confused.

The axolotl has a flat-shaped broad head that is much wider than the body of the axolotl. The axolotl also has feathery gills which protrude from either side of the head of the axolotl, allowing the axolotl to breath under water. As with newts and salamanders, axolotls are able to regenerate limbs that become damaged or detached meaning that axolotls have been extensively used in scientific experiments around the world.

The axolotl is most commonly found in albino form as they spend a great deal of their lives hiding under rocks and in crevices on the bottom of the lake. Although axolotls are generally white or pink in colour, black, grey and brown coloured axolotls can also be found.

The axolotl is a carnivorous animal meaning that the axolotl has a purely meat-based diet. The axolotl eats worms and insect larvae that develop under the surface of the water along with molluscs, crustaceans and some small species of fish.

Due to the bottom-dwelling lifestyle of the axolotl, it has surprisingly few natural predators despite it\'s relatively small size. Birds and large fish are the most common predators of the axolotl along with humans who catch the axolotl to keep as pets in artificial environments.

The axolotl can live for up to 25 years although the average axolotl rarely gets much older than the age of 15. Female axolotls can lay anywhere from 100 to 1,000 eggs which are coated with a sticky substance that helps them to stick to plants and rocks in the water to keep them safe. After about a month of development, tiny axolotl babies emerge into the open water.

Today, the axolotl is considered to be a critically endangered species meaning that there are very few axolotl individuals left in the wild. Increasing levels of pollution is the most destructive factor in the survival to the axolotl with the ever-growing size of nearby Mexico City.

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Axolotl Translations

Bulgarian български език
Ашолотъл
 
Danish Dansk
Axolotl
 
German Deutsch
Axolotl
 
English English
Axolotl
 
Spanish Español
Ambystoma mexicanum
 
Finnish Suomi
Aksolotli
 
French Français
Axolotl
 
Hebrew עִבְרִית
אקסולוטל מקסיקני
 
Croatian Hrvatski
Aksolotl
 
Italian Italiano
Ambystoma mexicanum
 
Japanese 日本語
アホロートル
 
Latin Latina
Ambystoma mexicanum
 
Dutch Nederlands
Axolotl
 
Norwegian Norsk
Axolotl
 
Polish Polski
Ambystoma meksykańska
 
Portuguese Português
Ambystoma mexicanum
 
Swedish Svenska
Axolotl
 
Turkish Türkçe
Aksolotl
 
Chinese 中文
墨西哥钝口螈
 

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Axolotl Facts

Kingdom:
A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....
Animalia
Phylum:
A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....
Chordata
Class:
A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....
Amphibia
Order:
A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....
Caudata
Family:
A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....
Ambystomatidae
Genus:
A level of classifying animals within a family. Families are divided into sub-groups called genus which generally contain one or two animal species....
Ambystoma
Scientific Name:Ambystoma Mexicanum
Type:Amphibian
Diet:Carnivore
Size (L):15cm - 45cm (6in - 18in)
Weight:60g - 200g (2oz - 7oz)
Top Speed:17km/h (10mph)
Life Span:10 - 20 years
Lifestyle:Solitary
Conservation Status:
The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...
Endangered
Colour:Black, White, Pink, Grey, Brown
Skin Type:Permeable
Favourite Food:Worms
Habitat:
The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...
High altitude freshwater lakes
Average Litter Size:500
Main Prey:
When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....
Worms, Insects, Molluscs
Predators:
When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...
Birds, Fish
Distinctive Features:Feathery gills and flattened-shaped head

Related Animals

NewtNewt
Able to regrow lost or damaged limbs!
SalamanderSalamander
There are more than 700 different species!
Tiger SalamanderTiger Salamander
Found across the North American wetlands!

 

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