One of the most incredible animals on this planet, it's all about it's physiology and the ability to regenerate not just it's tail like a lizard but any part of it's body, from tail. limb, jaw or even an eye.

Unfortunately this animal is close to being extirpated from the wild, it is indigenous to Mexico and because of human encroachment this beautiful creature is on the brink of extinction.

The remarakable axolotl is part of the family of ‘mole salamanders’, but exhibits an unusual and extreme trait known as neoteny, or paedomorphosis. This is the retention of larval stage characteristics throughout life, so axolotls usually never fully resemble an adult salamander.

Unlike other amphibians, most axolotl fail to metamorphose, living permanently in water . Although it does develop lungs, the axolotl’s most bizarre feature is its retention of its branch-like gills. These are external projections from the neck on each side of the head.

Each side has three branches covered with feathery filaments which increase the surface area for gas exchange. The axolotl has a long, slim and darkly coloured body, and short legs, with four digits on the front feet and five digits on the hind feet. Albino individuals have been bred in captivity, but are not known to live in the wild

Photo Credit: Seb-Photos

Although the axolotl remains in larval form throughout its life, it becomes sexually mature between 12 and 18 months of age. Males ‘dance’ to initiate courtship, nudging the female before depositing several cone-shaped packets of sperm known as spermatophores onto rocks and plants. These are taken up by the female’s cloaca, for internal fertilisation of her eggs. She lays the eggs 24 hours later, each one becoming enveloped in mucus as it emerges. They become glued to each other and to the substrate where they incubate for two to three weeks. A single female axolotl can produce up to 400 eggs in a day, averaging 175 – 200.


The axolotl is inactive during the day, resting on the substrate with the gills splayed. They move slowly and may surface occasionally to take a breath of air (3). Young axolotl feed on algae, but older individuals will take aquatic invertebrates. The axolotl is primarily preyed upon by herons.


A species of fascination to scientists the world over, the axolotl has many study-worthy traits. Whilst able to remain in larval form throughout its life, the axolotl can metamorphose into a fully-adult Mexican salamander if its habitat dries up. Additionally, rather than forming scar tissue when wounded, tissues at the wound site convert to a stem cell-like state, meaning that they are able to re-grow missing tissue in its entirety, even a whole limb. (Source)