Only two lakes in Mexico are home to the severely endangered Mexican
salamander, whose decline is being accelerated by invading predators and
pollution.
Why it's awesome: The axolotl is one of the most well-known amphibians in
the world, despite its rarity. It served as inspiration for characters in
the video games Pokemon and Animal Crossing, appeared in Minecraft, and even
appeared as a Google Doodle.
It resembles an amphibian dog with its cheery face and ruffled gills. This
cuteness is a direct result of not developing correctly. The majority of
salamanders change from their entirely aquatic larval forms to their
primarily terrestrial adult forms. One of the salamander species that
doesn't is the axolotl. Instead, it keeps all of the characteristics of a
larva, including its back fin and external gills, and it stays entirely
aquatic.
Neoteny
or
paedomorphosis is the term for this.
Scientists researching regenerative biology are very interested in it since
it can regenerate practically any part of its body, including its limbs,
eyes, and even certain sections of its brain.
The axolotl is so well-liked that it serves as Mexico's national amphibian
and was featured on a 50 peso note that was published in 2021.
On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as critically endangered because
there are only
50 to 1,000
of them left in the wild, and their population is declining. It is only
found in a few lakes south of Mexico City, where pollution and the
introduction of exotic predators are causing habitat degradation.
Raising awareness of the species goes some way toward aiding in its
preservation, but other efforts have been made to enhance the water quality
in its habitat and promote traditional farming, which provides habitat for
the species.
