AXOLOTL

KINGDOM              AnimaliaPHYLUM                 ChordataCLASS                    AmphibiaORDER                   CaudataFAMILY            AmbystomatidaeGENUS                 Ambystoma

A pedomorphic salamander related to the tiger salamander is the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). The fact that axolotls attain adulthood without going through a metamorphosis makes them exceptional among amphibians. Adults stay afloat and moulted, not transported to land. Because of their capacity to regenerate organs, gills, and portions of their eyes and brain, they are frequently utilised in scientific study.

The axolotl is a rare species of salamander that is indigenous to the Xochimilco and Chalco districts of central Mexico. Its scientific name is Ambystoma mexicanum. It is an amazing species renowned for its astounding ingenuity and peculiar physical traits. The axolotl is described as follows:

The axolotl has a distinctive and alluring look. Neuteny is the state of continuing to exhibit traits of a larva. It features a large head with tiny eyes, external gills on the sides of its head, and a broad, flat body. The four-legged axolotl has short, fringed toes and long, thin fingers. Shades of brown, grey, albino (pink with red eyes), leucitic (yellow with blue eyes), and melanoid (all black) are among the many colours they may be found in Axolotls are indigenous to the freshwater lake system of Zochimelco, which is close to Mexico City. They live in marshes, swamps, and lake canals. Unfortunately, wild populations have severely decreased as a result of habitat loss and pollution, and axolotls are now seriously endangered in their native environment.

Axolotls are well-known for having extraordinary regeneration ability. They have the ability to regrow missing body parts including limbs, spines, hearts, and even some of their brains. They are the focus of scientific study due of their exceptional abilities, which hold enormous promise for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Aquatic lifestyle: Axolotls are entirely aquatic and do not metamorphose into a terrestrial form, in contrast to the majority of other amphibians. They have finned outer gills that allow them to collect nutrients, making them suited to living in water.
The freshwater lake system of Zochimelco, which is adjacent to Mexico City, is home to axolotls. They reside in lake canals, marshes, and swamps. Axolotls are currently extremely endangered in their natural habitat due to habitat loss and pollution, which has resulted in a sharp decline in wild populations.

Axolotls are renowned for their amazing capacity for regeneration. They have the capacity to develop new limbs, spines, hearts, and even some of their brains if those organs are lost. Due of their extraordinary skills, which hold great potential for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, they are the subject of scientific research.

Aquatic lifestyle: Unlike the bulk of other amphibians, axelotls are exclusively aquatic and do not change into a terrestrial form. Their outer gills are finned.

AXOLOTL Appearance

Axolotls have external gills and a caudal fin that extends from the rear of the head to the vent, characteristics of salamander larvae. The external gills of salamander species often disappear as they become older, but the axolotl still has them. This is due to how much more aquatic axolotls are than other varieties of salamander. Their eyes lack lids, and their skulls are large. Their limbs have long, thin fingers and are undeveloped. Females may be detected by their large bodies loaded with eggs, while males can be recognised by their inflated cloacae bordered with papillae. To convey oxygenated water, three pairs of external gill stalks (rami) protrude from the rear of the skull. Fimbriae (filaments) line the outer gill rami to enhance the region where gases can be exchanged. Under the outer gills are four gill slits lined with gill rakers, which keep food out and let particles filter out. The vestigial teeth that grow during metamorphosis are scarcely noticeable in axolotls. 

Their main feeding strategy involves suction, which causes their rakers to converge and the gill slits to shut. There are four colouring genes in axolotls. They change into forms of various colours when converted. The normal wild variety has olive undertones and is dark or tan with gold specks. Leucistic (pale pink with black eyes), golden albino (golden with golden eyes), xanthic (grey with black eyes), and albino (light pink/white with red eyes) are the five more prevalent mutant colours in axolotls. Others, include melanoid (all black or dark blue with no olive colour or gold specks). The size, frequency, and intensity of golden spots also vary greatly from individual to individual, and when a variety reaches maturity, it has a black-and-white piebald look. By varying the relative size and thickness of their melanophores, axolotls may also modify their colour to better blend with their surroundings.

Axolotl Photos

All

BLUE-SPOTTED SALAMANDER

AMBYSTOMA TALPOIDEUM

Axolotl Distribution

Only the freshwater of Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in the Valley of Mexico is home to axolotls. In order to minimise flooding, Lake Chalco was drained, and Lake Xochimilco is now only a shell of what it once was, with canals serving as its major features. In Xochimilco, the water temperature seldom climbs beyond 20 °C (68 °F), while it may dip as low as 6-7 °C (43-45 °F) in the winter.

piebald morph axolotl

A particular type of salamander known as an axolotl is exclusively found in a tiny area of Mexico close to Mexico City. This species is a well-liked and distinctive pet that requires little maintenance. They have an incredible capacity for limb regeneration and can survive without land in an aquarium. They are now often used laboratory animals for research on tissue growth as a result.Sadly, habitat loss and pollution have led to axolotls being critically endangered in the wild. However, because they are raised as pets, they are frequently bred in captivity. Today, approximately 20 different colors of axolotls are reportedly maintained as pets. Numerous diverse color variants have emerged as a result of breeding, some of which are more rare and coveted. Read on to learn more.

Axolotl Habits and Lifestyle

Axolotls live alone and can be active at any time of the day. They can smell out food and will “snap” at any possible meal, sucking the food with a powerful suction into their bellies.
Due to their aquatic environment and special adaptations, axolotls have an intriguing range of behaviours and lives. Axolotls are totally aquatic organisms that live their whole lives in water; unlike other amphibians, they never transition to a terrestrial form. Their behaviour and personality traits are shaped by their aquatic existence.
Because they are mainly nocturnal, axolotls are most active at night. They sleep and are largely inactive throughout the day, finding cover in vegetation, rocks, or other nooks and crannies. Due of their nocturnal habits, they may hunt during the cover of night and escape potential predators.
Axolotls are ambush predators that carefully await the arrival of their target before snapping their jaws and engulfing the victim. They have a diet that is opportunistic. mostly made up of tiny aquatic animals including insects, crabs, worms, and small fish. They can locate prey even in low light thanks to their excellent vision and ability to sense vibrations in the water.
Axolotls are incredibly creative, which is one of their most amazing characteristics. Axolotls have a remarkable capacity to regrow missing body parts in the event of limb loss or damage. Complex tissues including bones, muscles, nerves, and even the spine may regenerate in this way. They are the focus of intense scientific research because of their capacity for regeneration, which enables them to recover from wounds that would be fatal or severely disable other species.
Particularly during the mating season, axelotls display territorial behaviour. They create and safeguard lands in primarily to draw mates to their habitat. Axolotls may act aggressively to protect their territory, such as by chasing after intruders or engaging in wrestling-like behaviours.
Axolotls have a natural propensity to hide in plants or burrow into the substrate in search of safety and protection. They create hiding spots amid rocks, roots, and water plants by using their limbs and powerful jaws to excavate tunnels. They are protected by these hiding spots, which also make it easier for them to ambush their victim.
Axolotls are not very energetic swimmers in terms of activity level. They often glide over the water smoothly and gently, conserving energy. They use their powerful tails as a form of propulsion and their highly evolved senses, like as eyesight and the capacity to recognise chemical signals, to traverse their environment and locate prey.
When compared to other amphibians, axelotls have a relatively low metabolic rate, which enables them to survive in watery habitats with little supplies. Their low levels of activity are a result of their neotenic nature, which means they maintain their larval features throughout their lifetimes. They can allocate resources for development and reproduction while conserving energy thanks to this lifestyle modification.
It is possible to get insight into axolotls’ natural behaviour and how they have adapted to their watery environment by learning about their habits and lives. They are intriguing to study and watch because of their distinctive traits, which include nocturnal behaviour, ambush hunting, reproductive ability, territorial behaviour, and a penchant for burrowing and hiding. develops a topic.

Axolotl Diet and Nutrition

Carnivores(piscivores,molluscivores,vermivores, insectivores) include axolotls. tiny prey including mollusks, worms, insects, other arthropods, and tiny fish are among the things they consume.
Axolotls are carnivorous predators since they prey mostly on tiny aquatic creatures in their diet. Their capacity to catch prey in water and their aquatic lifestyle are directly tied to their eating habits.

Axolotls consume a broad range of species in their native environment, including insects, crustaceans, insects, and tiny fish. They take advantage of feeding opportunities and rely on their acute vision and sensory ability to seek possible prey by detecting movement and vibration in the water. Axolotls are especially skilled at hunting in low light and can locate and successfully capture prey even in dark or muddy waters.

A healthy diet is essential to the health and wellbeing of axolotls kept in captivity. Axolotl sticks or pellets that are available commercially and have been properly tailored for their dietary requirements might as a dietary mainstay. These pellets often have a combination of superior protein, necessary vitamins, and minerals. To make sure axolotls get enough nourishment, it is advised to pick premium pellets that are particularly designed.

Although pellets can serve as the bulk of their diet, adding live or frozen items will be advantageous. Axolotls like live prey, and providing them with live food encourages their innate hunting instincts. Small earthworms, bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia and black worms are examples of live foods that are suitable. A substitute for live prey can also be supplied, such as frozen brine prawns or frozen bloodworms.

It’s crucial to make sure that the prey items are the right size and aren’t too large or little while feeding axolotls. too big for axolotls to easily swallow. Smaller, more frequent meals are often preferred versus larger ones that are served less frequently. It is best to refrain from overeating because it might cause obesity and other health issues.

Axolotls’ overall health and digestion depend on the quality of their water supply. It is crucial to provide clean, well-filtered water since contaminated water might impair an animal’s ability to eat and digest. For axolotls to thrive, it is advised to do routine water changes and keep an eye on water characteristics like pH and temperature.

For axolotls, adequate hydration is also crucial. They can take in moisture from their environment and get water via their skin. Giving them access to clean water in a well-maintained aquatic habitat helps ensure they get enough hydration.

In conclusion, axolotls need a combination of high-quality pellets and live or frozen food for a balanced diet. The key to improving their health and wellbeing is to feed them smaller, more often meals that are acceptable in size, as well as to maintain adequate water quality. The key to modifying their food as necessary to match their unique nutritional demands is to keep an eye on their hunger, development, and general condition.

Mating Habits

Axolotls are polygunandrpus (promiscuous), which means that throughout the mating season, both the males and the females of this species mate with many partners. Typically, axolotls breed from March through June. The female lays 100–300 eggs on substrates in the water. After 10 to 14 days, eggs hatch, and the young (larvae) swim out on their own. They reach reproductive maturity between the ages of 18 and 27 months.
Axolotls exhibit unusual mating behaviours, which involve intricate courtship rituals and reproductive techniques. Understanding their mating behaviours can help us better understand their reproductive biology and the elements of successful breeding.
Axolotls mature sexually between the ages of 18 and 24 months, however this might change depending on numerous elements including genetics and environmental circumstances. Changes in temperature and water quality are known to cause them to reproduce in the wild in the spring and early summer.
Male axolotls engage in wooing behaviour to entice females during the mating season. Gestures and visual signals are frequently used in courtship displays. The male may approach the female, poke her with his paw, swing her body from side to side, and rub against her body. It may also exhibit its gills and flirtatiously wag its tail.
If the female is open to being courted, she will consent to the male approaching her. The spermatophore, a gelatinous packet containing sperm, is subsequently laid down on the substrate or the female’s body by the male. To aid in fertilisation, the female will extract the sperm through her cloaca, a reproductive orifice.
The female will start the process of laying axolotl eggs after fertilisation. She is capable of laying hundreds of eggs, each of which she attaches to a plant or other aquatic surface. Eggs often have a gelatinous layer that serves to protect them and are tiny and transparent. When deciding where to lay her eggs, the female takes great care to ensure that they are well-hidden and safe.

Population

Axolotl Population threats

The loss of this species’ natural habitat is its primary concern. Axolotls are only found in the Mexican Central Valley, and due to Mexico City’s growth, their natural habitat has been reduced to Lake Xochimilco. The little body of water known as Lake Xochimilco is made up of a few man-made waterways, tiny lakes, and transient marshes. Because of the demands made on the area’s aquaculture and agriculture, Lake Xochimilco has poor water quality. Additionally, inputs of only partially treated effluent are used to sustain it. 

Axolotl habitat quality has also decreased due to the extensive use of pesticides in agriculture near Lake Xochimilco, which results in runoff into the lake. Studies demonstrate that the chemical components in the insecticides used significantly increase mortality. in the embryos and larvae of axolotl. There is also a rise in morphological, behavioural, and activity abnormalities in the surviving embryo and larvae. The advent of exotic species like the Nile tilapia and Common carp poses another danger to the native axolotl population. 

Axolotl populations are under risk from these invasive fish species because they consume their eggs and young and outcompete them for natural resources. Axolotls have also been shown to alter their behaviour in response to the presence of these species, becoming less active in an effort to fend off predators. The axolotls’ feeding and mating possibilities are significantly impacted by this drop in activity.

Axolotl Population number

The axolotl has a total population of 500 to 1,000 adult individuals, according to the IUCN Red List. The IUCN Red List now lists this species as Critically Endangered (CR), and its population is currently declining.