Have you ever come across an animal with a body shape and face as cute as this one? You will be amazed when you see an Axolotl. Do you know what kind of animal the Axolotl is? The Axolotl is a rare amphibian. It is also known as the Mexican salamander or Ajolote. Although classified as amphibians, animals with the Latin name Ambystoma mexicanum prefer to spend their lives swimming in water.
Anatomically, the Axolotl has two pairs of fan-shaped gills on the head and two pairs of legs that are used for walking in water. This cute amphibian is a tame animal with a small body shape. Would you like to know more fascinating information about Axolotl? Here are fun facts about the Axolotl that you won’t believe.
Table of Contents
- 1. The Namesake of the Ancient God
- 2. Never Grew Up
- 3. Maintain Regenerative Capacity
- 4. The Smiling Axolotl
- 5. Amazing Resistance to Cancer
- 6. Can Axolotls Walk and Live on Land?
- 7. Ideal for Being a Pet
- 8. Available in 10 Amazing Colors
- 9. Detect Electrical Fields to Communicate
- 10. Let’s Dance!
- 11. Illegal to Own in Some US States
- 12. Lay Up to a Thousand Eggs
- 13. Stem Cell Source
- 14. Beware! It’s Cannibalistic!
- 15. Action at Night
1. The Namesake of the Ancient God
Let’s start this list of fun facts about Axolotl with this amazing fact. You may not be familiar when you hear the word “Axolotl”. This hard-to-pronounce word is attributed to cute amphibians. Axolotl comes from the name Xolotl, the Aztec god of lightning and fire.
This mythological deity can take the form of a salamander. Xolotl can also be related to the word “Atl,” which comes from the ancient Aztec language meaning water. This resemblance of form and living habitat is what makes the name Axolotl given to this adorable amphibian.
2. Never Grew Up
According to the report of a journalist in Mexico City, Erik Vance, the Axolotl underwent a relatively recent evolution compared to other salamander breeds. The report, published on the Nature website, states that this unique amphibian is neotenic. It means that the adult Axolotl retains its characteristics as a child.
The fact that the Axolotl did undergo metamorphosis into a land animal. However, these amphibians retain their hairy gills to stay in the water throughout their lives. This fact is what makes it seem as if the Axolotl never grew up.
3. Maintain Regenerative Capacity
For some organisms, aging will occur normally due to loss of regenerative abilities. However, this does not apply to the Axolotl. These cute amphibians of Mexican origin can maintain their regenerative capacity throughout life.
Do you know why the Axolotl never looks old? The following interesting facts will blow your mind! When compared to humans, the Axolotl has a faster life cycle. Furthermore, several studies have shown that the maximum life expectancy of axolotls is up to 25 years. They can reach 25 if they live in captivity in the absence of predators.
Axolotl’s remarkable regenerative abilities stem from its large genome size of around 32 million base pairs. From these genomic data, it is known that several DNA sequences encode extraordinary regeneration capacities.
Axolotl’s good immune system is also a determining factor. These cute amphibians avoid chronic inflammation associated with disease progression and age-related frailty.
4. The Smiling Axolotl
This interesting fact is still related to the previous fact. Because its genome is ten times larger than that of a human, the Axolotl has unique abilities and habits. Do you know why Axolotl always looks smiling? They will be seen smiling when chewing and swallowing their food.
When eating, the Axolotl opens its mouth as wide as possible to allow more food and water to enter. After swallowing its food, this cute amphibian opens its mouth for a few seconds. Due to the slightly upward anatomy of the Axolotl’s mouth, you will see this cute creature as if it is always smiling.
5. Amazing Resistance to Cancer
Unlike other pets such as dogs and cats which are prone to cancer, the Axolotl is resistant to this chronic disease. The number of cancer cases and tumors diagnosed in Axolotl is very low. Axolotl is resistant to materials and foods that can cause cancer (carcinogenic compounds).
An important protein for this remarkable ability is p53, which is involved in many processes of regeneration, DNA repair, and cancer prevention. The most amazing thing is the fact that the Axolotl is 1,000 times more resistant to cancer than other mammals.
6. Can Axolotls Walk and Live on Land?
Axolotls are amphibians. Amphibians should be able to live in water and on land. The question is whether the Axolotl can live and walk on land? Try to pause this video and leave your comment below. If you answered no then your answer is correct! Axolotl cannot live and walk on land even though it belongs to the category of amphibians. What a cool and fun fact about Axolotl, right?
Evolutionary factors and adaptability are the determining factors. The axolotl cannot survive out of water for very long even though this cute animal can breathe air.
Axolotl gills still work outside the water but are not as effective when in the water. These gills cannot deliver oxygen to the lungs when outside the water. So don’t you ever bring Axolotl to the mainland!
7. Ideal for Being a Pet
Do you want to raise unconventional animals? Axolotl can be a perfect choice. Axolotls are friendly and interactive pets in captivity. You will get a unique experience when caring for Axolotl. The unique cute shape will amaze each of your guests. You can keep an Axolotl for a long time if you provide it with the right place and food.
The thing you need to pay attention to if you want to adopt an Axolotl is a large aquarium space to move around. Axolotls are animals that are quite active and agile in water so they need adequate space for movement. Make sure the clean water filter is installed to keep the water in the aquarium clear.
These amphibians produce more feces than other fish, so you will need to change the water filter frequently. Give it a fairly dim light because the Axolotl is quite a shy creature. The temperature in the aquarium must also be set around 21-22 C to breed. So, interested in adopting an Axolotl at home?
8. Available in 10 Amazing Colors
The axolotl is one of the most sought-after exotic animals by collectors and animal lovers. In general, Axolotl is available in 10 stunning colors. This color difference will affect the price. You can adopt an Axolotl from $50 to $1000 depending on color rarity. What colors can an Axolotl have?
White albino, Piebald, Golden albino, Leucistic, Black melanoid, Lavender, Firefly Chimera, Copper, and Mosaic. If you are looking for the rarest of colors then go for the Chimera color. This color appears due to a rare genetic variation. His skin color is half black and half white, which is split horizontally.
On the other hand, if you want a beautiful Axolotl then go for the color Leucistic. The combination of matte white on the body and pink on the gills, making this breed much sought after by female animal lovers.
9. Detect Electrical Fields to Communicate
Has it ever crossed your mind how Axolotls communicate with each other? This Mexican endemic amphibian can detect electric fields so that it can produce visual and chemical signals.
These unique cues are used to find prey, mate, and recognize their environment. Interesting right? Share your thoughts on the quirky facts below!
10. Let’s Dance!
Let’s show the best dance to attract the opposite sex! The next unique and fun fact is that the Axolotl will dance during the breeding season. The male axolotl will wag its tail slowly.
This movement is combined with undulating body movements such as the hula-hula dance. The male axolotl then nudges the female’s back with his nose. The male will carry the spermatophore into the female’s cloaca to produce fertilization.
11. Illegal to Own in Some US States
The axolotl is an exotic animal that has long fascinated animal lovers. This native Mexican animal was first brought to Europe at the end of the 18th century to be precise, brought to Paris, France. Since then, the Axolotl has been widely bred and traded as attractive pets.
Do you know a surprising fact about the circulation of the Axolotl? Axolotls are illegal to own in some US states. The main reason is that there is a high risk of them escaping from aquariums or captivity and interbreeding with native salamanders in the US. Do you think this reasoning is acceptable? Leave your comments below!
12. Lay Up to a Thousand Eggs
When winter is about to end, the Axolotl will enter the spawning season in the wild. In February, male axolotls will look for females to fertilize. Have you ever thought that an amphibian can lay thousands of eggs?
Female axolotls can lay up to thousands of eggs in one spawning season. Even though the average number of female Axolotl eggs is at 300, this animal still has amazing reproductive abilities!
13. Stem Cell Source
Stem cells are considered a futuristic modern medicine trend. Do you know the reason? Any damaged tissue or organ can be replaced with stem cells programmed with molecular genetics.
Research from the Stanford School of Medicine states that Axolotl is uniquely capable of mobilizing neural stem cells to regenerate all missing regions of the genome from the spinal cord structures.
However, the mechanism of neuronal stem cells under altered homeostasis following injury to highly regenerative cells remains uncertain. Nerve stem cells from Axolotl will reactivate the transcription program to carry out cell multiplication. This extraordinary animal is very useful for the medical world.
14. Beware! It’s Cannibalistic!
Now that we almost come to the end of this list, you will be amazed to find out about our 14th fun fact about Axolotl. If you have decided to adopt the Axolotl in the aquarium then you should pay attention to this habit. The axolotl often eats its sibling’s limbs for food. Is this real? Yes, Axolotls can be cannibals, especially those under 6 inches.
The reason is that these amphibians are born in large numbers in habitats that are not rich in food. Take care of and keep the Axolotl away when it’s small!
15. Action at Night
Axolotls tend to be shyer in rooms with too much light or during the day. They are most active at dusk and night. Axolotls will prefer to stay in a corner of the aquarium during the day.
This is what makes the Axolotl a nocturnal animal that avoids light. Weak eyesight makes Axolotl use smell to hunt for food. Uniquely, older Axolotls will be more active during the day than younger ones.
Those are interesting and fun facts about the cute Mexican amphibian, the Axolotl. What do you think is the most surprising fact? Leave your comments below! See you in other amazing facts!
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