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Axolotl
Axolotl Facts
| Kingdom: Five groups that classify all living things | Animalia |
| Phylum: A group of animals within the animal kingdom | Chordata |
| Class: A group of animals within a pylum | Amphibia |
| Order: A group of animals within a class | Caudata |
| Family: A group of animals within an order | Ambystomatidae |
| Genus: A group of animals within a family | Ambystoma |
| Scientific Name: The name of the animal in science | Ambystoma Mexicanum |
| Type: The animal group that the species belongs to | Amphibian |
| Diet: What kind of foods the animal eats | Carnivore |
| Size (L): How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is | 15cm - 45cm (6in - 18in) |
| Weight: The measurement of how heavy the animal is | 60g - 200g (2oz - 7oz) |
| Top Speed: The fastest recorded speed of the animal | 17km/h (10mph) |
| Lifespan: How long the animal lives for | 10 - 20 years |
| Lifestyle: Whether the animal is solitary or sociable | Solitary |
| Conservation Status: The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct | Endangered |
| Colour: The colour of the animal's coat or markings | Black, White, Pink, Grey, Brown |
| Skin Type: The protective layer of the animal | Permeable |
| Favourite Food: The preferred food of this animal | Worms |
| Habitat: The specific area where the animal lives | High altitude freshwater lakes |
| Average Litter Size: The average number of babies born at once | 500 |
| Main Prey: The food that the animal gains energy from | Worms, Insects, Molluscs |
| Predators: Other animals that hunt and eat the animal | Birds, Fish |
| Distinctive Features: Characteristics unique to this animal | Feathery gills and flattened-shaped head |
Axolotl Location
Map of South America
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 its tadpole-like appearance for its 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 its 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.
View all 53 animals that start with A.
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Axolotl Translations
Ашолотъл
Axolotl
Axolotl
Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum
Aksolotli
Axolotl
אקסולוטל מקסיקני
Aksolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum
アホロートル
Ambystoma mexicanum
Axolotl
Axolotl
Ambystoma meksykańska
Ambystoma mexicanum
Axolotl
Aksolotl
墨西哥钝口螈
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First Published: 18th November 2009, Last Updated: 8th November 2019
1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 18 Nov 2009]
2. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia [Accessed at: 01 Jan 2011]
3. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 18 Nov 2009]
4. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species [Accessed at: 18 Nov 2009]
5. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 18 Nov 2009]