![]() ![]() The first axolotls exported for scientific research date back to 1863, where 34 animals were sent to Paris. For over a century and a half the axolotl has been studied for its regenerative qualities. Interestingly, it appears the nickname waterdog was coined from the salamanders vocal resemblance to a dogs bark, rather than their cousins mythological history!Īxolotls have great scientific and cultural significance. But it is their cousins, the Tiger Salamander, who carry the nickname waterdog in North America. Named for their mythological ties to the god Xolotl, who became an axolotl to evade capture. So the word axolotl translates from Nahuatl (the Aztec language) to water-dog. His deception and trickery did not work, as he was eventually captured and killed. Xolotl decided instead to hide and transform himself into three objects, one of these being the axolotl. In Aztec mythology, all the gods agreed to sacrifice themselves in order for the newly created ‘Fifth Sun’ to move to help create humanity. The axolotl does not only bear the name of a god, it also plays a role in Xolotl's history. He was the twin of Quetzalcoatl, one of the most important gods in the Aztec pantheon. Xolotl was a god of many things (lightening, monsters etc) but was generally portrayed in a negative light. Xolotl was an Aztec god often depicted as a dog-headed god. The word axolotl derives from the Aztec words for water ‘atl’ and dog ‘xolotl’. When investigating the origin of the word axolotl, an interesting backstory unfolded. Unlike axolotls, Tiger Salamanders do undergo metamorphosis into terrestrial adults. However, in the USA the waterdog is a colloquial name for the larval stage of a similar species to the axolotl, the Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). This question is rather rhetoric, as in the UK we rarely call axolotls waterdogs. Why are axolotls sometimes called waterdogs? These include albino (white body with red eyes), leucistic (whitish body with black eyes), golden albino or melanistic (black). Through selective breeding, there are now a variety of colour options in the domestic market. In the wild, axolotls have a dark green / brown colouration with reflective speckles (iridophores). Remaining in a junior, larval-like state for life is called neoteny. They remain in water their entire lives, retaining their larval characteristics (a caudal tail fin and external feather gills). Unlike other species in the genus Ambystoma, the axolotl does not complete metamorphosis in to terrestrial adults (like traditional salamanders). Until the causes of their decimation in the wild are resolved, this is likely to be a slow process. So far these are limited to small artificial waterways, disconnected to the main canals. Conservation efforts are underway to try and repopulate their native habitat. This is due to their popularity in the pet trade, and for unique scientific research. There are many more axolotls in captivity than there are left in the wild. Unfortunately for axolotls, due to urbanisation, pollution and the introduction of invasive fish species (as a food source), they are now listed as a critically endangered species. These canals are famous for being created by the Aztecs and for boat parties, unique enough to be recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the wild, they are found only in a small canal system in Xochimilco (pronounced SO-chee-MILL-koh) in Mexico City, Mexico. First we will look into their history and biology, followed with how to care for them at home.Īxolotls are a fully aquatic salamander species within the class of amphibians.
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