Quick Facts
- Type
- Amphibian
- Size
- 15–30 cm long
- Weight
- 60–230 g
- Habitat
- Lakes and canals of Xochimilco, Mexico
- Diet
- Worms, insects, small fish, and crustaceans
- Active Time
- Mostly nocturnal
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
Field Notes
- Axolotls can regrow lost limbs, organs, and even parts of their brain.
- They stay in their juvenile, gilled form for life instead of turning into adults.
- They are critically endangered in the wild but kept by the thousands in labs and homes.
About the Axolotl
The axolotl is a remarkable salamander native to the lake system of Xochimilco near Mexico City. Unlike most amphibians, it never fully metamorphoses, keeping its feathery external gills and aquatic lifestyle for life, a condition called neoteny. With its wide 'smiling' mouth and frilly gills, it has become an icon. Axolotls are famous for extraordinary regeneration, regrowing lost limbs, parts of the heart, and even portions of the brain. Critically endangered in the wild, they survive mostly in captivity and research labs worldwide.
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