Axolotl: The Mexican Walking Fish

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Amphibia
• Order: Urodela
• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Species: A. mexicaum

The axolotl is native to the freshwater of Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in the Valley of Mexico. After the conquest of the Aztec Empire by Spanish settlers, these lakes were drained, destroying the animals natural habitat. To this day, few are actually seen in its natural habitat; however, they've become a popular pet with thousands being kept in captivity.

Axolotls neared extinction by 2020 due to their natural habitat being destroyed, pollution to the water, and the presence of tilapia and perch, which feed on the eggs and young of the axolotl. Therefore, axolotls have been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Axolotls range in length from 6 to 18 inches as a mature adult and have many features of a salamander including external gills, which are generally lost when salamanders reach adulthood. They have wide heads and eyes with now lids, underdeveloped limbs with long digits, and vestigial teeth that develop during metamorphosis. They possess four pigmentation genes that provide them with various color variants. The most common include:

• Leucistic: pale pink with black eyes
• Golden Albino: golden with gold eyes
• Xanthic: grey with black eyes
• Albino: pale pink/white with red eyes
• Melanoid: all black/dark blue with no gold speckling or olive tone

Axolotls are carnivorous and feed primarily on small prey including mollusks, worms, insects, and small fish in the wild. They use their sense of smell to locate their food. Once found, they will snap at their meal, sucking the food into their stomachs with vacuum force. Suction is their primary form of feeding.

their most unique feature is their ability to heal with the ability to regenerate entire lost appendages in a period of months, which can include their central nervous system, and tissues of the eye and heart. They even have the ability to restore parts of their brain. For this purpose, they are used extensively in scientific research.

Additionally, unlike other amphibians that live in the water when young, and lose their gills to require them to live on land, this does not happen to the axolotl. Axolotls are born with gills and keeps them throughout its life. For this reason, they live in water all their live, although they do have the ability to live outside of water for brief periods of time. Although they are able to breathe air, they can't survive without water for long?

RECOMMENDED READING MATERIALS @ YOUR LIBRARY
	AMAZING REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS by: Brian Williams Call Number: J 597.9 WIL Series: Amazing Life Cycles This book explores the lives and life cycles of some reptiles and amphibians, from the giant Komodo dragon to the tiny red-eyed tree frog.
	AXOLOTLS by: Karen Latchana Kenney Call Number: eBook on Hoopla Series: Weird and Unusual Animals A photo-illustrated book for elementary readers, also called the Mexican Walking Fish. Readers learn about this fully aquatic salamander and their status of nearly extinct. Includes a bit about their home in Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City. Learn about their feeding habits, predators, and life cycle. Includes facts, table of contents, glossary, further resources, and index.
	UNUSUAL CREATURES: A MOSTLY ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF SOME OF THE EARTH'S STRANGEST ANIMALS by: Michael Hearst Call Number: J 590 HEA This book introduces the reader to a wealth of extraordinary life forms. From the top of Mt. Everest to 10,000 feet under the sea, fascinating animals are everywhere. A basilisk that can run on water, an octopus that can mimic other animals...and dozens more.

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