Also known as the "water monster", the axolotl looks like it's straight out of a cartoon. When it reaches the adult stage, it still preserves characteristics of when it was a larva.
Having other names like axolotl or axolotle, Ambystoma mexicanum has been standing out and gaining fame among aquatic fauna enthusiasts. But if you had never heard of or know little about this species of salamander, check out five curiosities about the axolotl now.
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As much as some call it the “walking fish”, know that these peculiar animals belong to the amphibian class. That is, the same class as toads, frogs and tree frogs.
In short, axolotls are a type of salamander. They are part of the order of caudate amphibians that have a lizard appearance. Therefore, it is common for many to know it under the name of axolotl salamander.
In biology, neoteny is the permanence of certain characteristics of the larval stage, both physical and behavioral, in animals already in the adult stage.
As they are a kind of salamander, the common thing would be for animals of this order to develop in water and after metamorphosis, become terrestrial.
However, axolotls even undergo changes. But, in general, they remain with the characteristics of the larval state of the salamander throughout life, such as the external gills and caudal fin.
Axolotl salamanders have always attracted the attention of scientists around the world for being the only vertebrate animals able to regenerate. Therefore, this species is even more curious.
Therefore, among his impressive abilities is the ability to heal injuries without leaving marks or scars. The regeneration of amputated extremities, and the complete repair of the spinal cord in case of injuries.
Therefore, scientists believe that, in the near future, these animals will be able to contribute to human medicine in the treatment of injuries and wounds.
Nowadays, Lake Xochimilco, located in Mexico City, is the only place in the world where it is possible to find axolotls natively and wildly. But there are few copies.
According to a census taken from 1998 to 2008, in 1998 the lake held a population of six thousand axolotls. That number had already dropped to a thousand in 2003, and to 100 in 2008.
Researchers claim that the main causes for the species to be threatened are water pollution and the introduction of “invasive” animals, such as carp and tilapia, into Lake Xochimilco.
As much as they are becoming increasingly rare in the wild, axolotls have been bred in captivity both for scientific study purposes and as a hobby. In Brazil, there is no permission for the creation of pet axolotls.
However, they are the only salamander species that can be raised at home. But it is worth mentioning that they are very sensitive animals and, like other exotic animals, need specific and appropriate conditions.
To begin with, it is important never to put fish in the same tank as an axolotl. Its external gills are attractive to fish, who may try to nibble on them, annoying the axolotls.
In relation to the water used for its creation, the ideal is that it maintains a temperature between 16°C and 20°C, and a pH range between 6.5 and 8.0. As said previously, axolotls are very sensitive, especially to toxic substances, so have a good filtering system and avoid catching them with the hands.
