Author: Aiden Ding
Artwork by Aiden Ding
The axolotl is a special type of salamander that possess extraordinary traits, traits that have helped it to survive and adapt to its natural habitat. Today, this creature is an endangered species, despite its popularity as a pet. They were originally found in several lakes, including Lake Xochimilco and Lake Patzcuaro. Axolotls have very complicated genomes, which may reveal the secrets of their “super powers.”
Let’s first get to know some of the axolotl’s unique features. An axolotl is a type of salamander (amphibian), though it remains in its juvenile stage its whole life. This is called neoteny. It is extremely rare for an axolotl to go through metamorphosis and develop lungs to replace its gills. Axolotls’ gills are used to collect oxygen, for respiration. They sometimes just gulp in air from their mouths, too.
Axolotls have the special ability to regenerate body parts. They can regenerate limbs, their tails, spinal cords, eyes, and even parts of their brains! That sure is a lot of things that the axolotl can regenerate. The key to this could possibly be hidden in their complicated genomes. This remarkably complex genome has 32 billion billion base pairs, more than ten times the amount of a human genome (us humans have only about 3 billion base pairs). The axolotl is considered to have the largest genome ever fully sequenced.
Wild axolotl populations continue to decrease quickly, due to hunting, habitat loss, and pollution. Predatory birds, fish, and even humans threaten the species, which is critically endangered. Draining and contamination of lakes has also depleted numbers as more and more people reside in Mexico City. There are conservationists and locals helping axolotls, but it may not be enough. The extinction of this species would be a huge loss for the scientists, and the residents of Mexico, as it is a symbol of great health and healing.
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