Secrets of the Axolotl

The axolotl is a salamander that never loses its gills.

Axolotls are native to lakes and wetlands in Mexico City.

Adult axolotls range from 15 to 45 centimetres long.

External gills and a caudal fin give axolotls a unique look.

Axolotls use three pairs of gill stalks to breathe underwater.

Wild axolotls have brown bodies with gold speckles for camouflage.

Leucistic axolotls have pale pink skin and black eyes.

Axolotl genomes are huge, about ten times larger than the human genome.

Axolotls can regrow limbs, eyes, and even parts of their brains.

Limb regrowth needs wound skin, nerve signals, and limb cells.

Axolotls keep growing all their lives, aiding their regeneration skills.

Lack of thyroid hormone keeps axolotls aquatic and gilled adults.

Hormones like thyroxine can trigger axolotls to metamorphose.

After metamorphosis, axolotls live on land with eyelids and lungs.

Axolotls remain a popular subject for science and aquarium enthusiasts.