Creatures that spend their lives in water move with their fins. Creatures living both on land and in water stand up after the larval stage and walk beautifully. The axolotl salamander does not fit either of these definitions. Even in adulthood, the axolotl salamander looks like a larva and has larval features. For this reason, many people prefer to describe this salamander as a walking fish.
The axolotl is not a fish, it’s a salamander. Although it does not resemble any salamander species we know, its basic features cause us to evaluate it in this class. Unfortunately, the number of this creature, which can only live in and around a single lake in the world, is decreasing day by day. Let’s take a look at the unusual features of the Axolotl salamander and get to know this interesting creature a little more closely.
What is an axolotl?
The axolotl is a type of salamander with a unique genetic makeup. It belongs to the class of amphibians, known by the common name Axolotls, called Ambystoma mexicanum by scientists and is carnivorous. The most striking feature is that it has larval characteristics throughout its life due to a condition called neoteny.
The larval feature means that the Axolotl salamander has a tadpole-like dorsal fin and hairy external gills located behind its broad head. In other words, although it belongs to the amphibian class that lives both on land and in water, it continues its life under water like a larva due to its neoteny condition.
Where does the axolotl live?
The axolotl salamander lives only in a lake called Xochimilco, which is located near Mexico’s capital city, Mexico City. This creature has also been found in some water channels close to the lake. The altitude of the region is high and even in winter the temperature of the water is around 20 degrees.
Different features of the axolotl from other salamanders:
The fact that the axolotl salamander lives only in a lake called Xochimilco, located near Mexico’s capital city of Mexico City, is undoubtedly one of its distinctive features. However, what makes the Axolotl salamander unique is that, unlike other salamanders, it spends almost its entire life underwater.
The axolotl salamander is much larger than other salamander species. Its length is 15 – 25 cm, weight is between 50 – 250 grams. It is much larger and lives much longer than other salamanders, with an average lifespan of 10-15 years. Its color generally consists of black spots on brown, but it has also been seen that those trapped in the aquarium are albino and white.
What does the axolotl eat?
The axolotl salamander is carnivorous. It has a rich diet consisting of worms, insects, crustaceans, mollusks and small fish. It is at the top of the food chain in its area. This is one of the reasons why he can live so comfortably in this region. However, the situation is changing rapidly.
Axolotl salamanders are disappearing fast:
While the axolotl salamander was at the top of the food chain in its region, it became a prey because sea bass, tilapia and heron birds flocked to the region for different reasons. Axolotl salamanders have become delicious prey because of the increasing number of predatory species. But this is not the biggest reason for the extinction of the Axolotl.
We, humans, are the reason the axolotl salamander went extinct. Lake Xochimilco is getting increasingly polluted. The natural habitat system is deteriorating, as the axolotl can no longer live in this lake, even if the animals it feeds on are no longer able to live in this lake. It is also a visible fact that the Xochimilco lake, which is a large complex, is getting smaller and smaller due to global climate change.
Of course, humanity’s cruelty to this creature does not end. The axolotl salamander is a popular aquarium creature. It is hunted and fished and sold to be kept in an aquarium. As if that were not enough, the fried Axolotl salamander according to the traditions of Mexico is also considered a valuable prey, as it is considered a grand gesture.
In a study conducted in Xochimilco lake in 1998 by Mexican biologist Luis Zambran, it was determined that there are 6,000 Axolotl salamanders per square kilometer. Today, there are only 35 per square kilometer, and that number is declining. It is thought that many more Axolotl salamanders are confined to aquariums and similar areas than are found in their natural habitat.
The axolotl salamander was also known in ancient civilizations, even mentioned in mythology:
Most of the stories in Mexican mythology refer to the Aztec and Maya civilizations. Such a unique creature, of course, takes its place in mythology. Legend has it that an Aztec god, while fleeing from sacrifice, disguised himself into Lake Xochimilco, and thus the Axolotl salamander was born. How they thought of frying and eating the creature they thought was an ancient god is unknown.
We talked about the extraordinary information about the Axolotl salamander, an interesting creature that looks like a walking fish, and how this creature disappeared day by day. It is hard not to wonder when we will realize that it is more important to observe such creatures in their natural environment instead of imprisoning them.
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