Axolotl is a critically endangered species of Salamander that can be seen living near a well-known lake Xochimilco around Mexico City. This is why its other common names are Mexican Salamander and Mexican walking fish. The scientific name of this Amphibian also resembles its habitat, Ambystoma Mexicanum.
Biggest Axolotl in the World
When talking about the biggest Axolotl in the world, one can say that it is 18 inches long. No Axolotl in the world has been found yet; that is bigger than that. It will be harder to find because their population is lesser than a hundred. The other things which need to be mentioned about them are that they can weigh up to 8 ounces and are carnivores.
Physical Description
- From the studies, it has been found that there are various skin colors of Axolotl due to the presence of quadruple genes of pigmentation. However, when we focus on the world’s biggest Axolotl, its color is the same as the wild type, which has gold speckles with an olive-brown color.
- The uniqueness of axolotls can be seen because of their gills. Other kinds of Axolotl are present in the world but not Ambystoma Mexicanum. These other types can be seen in different parts of the world and have beautiful skin colors.
- Axolotls can also camouflage, but not entirely like a chameleon.
- Whether it is the biggest Axolotl in the world or the smallest, they all have one quality of developing lungs, and also they grow in two stages which are juvenile into adult form.
- An Ambystoma Mexicanum has vicious-looking teeth. At the same time, the weight of the biggest one is 8 ounces.
- Going to the point of the gills, their color changes as well. Usually, the appearance of the gills is pink, which changes colors according to the state they reside in.
- On land, it seems like an Axolotl is crawling, which creates confusion about resembling the reptile, but they are not.
Characteristics
- The biggest Axolotl in the world eats smaller organisms than wild ones. They even eat each other when they find themselves without any source of consumption.
- Generally, not all, but most amphibians can regenerate. However, the regenerative powers of an Axolotl are way too good. Other amphibians can regenerate some parts of their body. An Axolotl can regrow essential internal body parts like the lungs, heart, and spinal cord. This can be the reason behind the name given to this animal. They can grow their limbs as well.
- To survive in the wild, their color remains brown, whereas their skin color is generally pinkish when they are a pet.
- A regular axolotl ages 10 to 15, which also stays the same for the biggest.
- When they transition from one stage to another, from juvenile to adult, their gills still remain, allowing them to stay in the water forever. One can hardly see them swimming because it does not look efficient for them; instead, their body resembles tadpoles that can swim quite efficiently.
Why have Axolotls been termed a critically endangered species?
There are various reasons behind terming them critically endangered, and the main ones are polluted water, excess fishing, loss of habitat, and invasive species.
- Polluted water: As the habitat of Axolotls is near the capital of Mexico, the processes included in the development of the money are major in polluting the Xochimilico lake water.
- Excess of fishing: The population in Mexico is not looking over the adverse effects of their fishing practices. The lack of fish means a scarcity of food for Axolotls and themselves. If this keeps on happening, the wild axolotls might become extinct shortly.
- Loss of habitat: Due to the increase in the rate of development, the habitat of these beautiful creatures is affected heftily. According to a biologist from Mexico, the population of Axolotls has decreased rapidly. It was found that there were 600 axolotls present in the wild which are now reduced to just 25.
- Invasive Species: These species are called so because they are new to the surrounding they are introduced or living in. The effect of that is their erratic behavior in coping with the other species present there. This leads to the hunting of other species at an alarming rate.
These are the factors behind terming the world’s biggest axolotls and the others as critically endangered. All these things must be kept in check to preserve the Axolotls.
Information on the biggest Axolotl in the world
At present, there is no relevant data found on this topic. But the things which have been found are the color of its skin, type, and some references on the claim over the biggest one, as per the video of Nick Bingo, a Youtuber who claims that he bought the biggest Axolotl in the world. In the video, the length from the nose to the tail has not been provided, but from the looks of the Axolotl, it is pretty big. The color of this Axolotl is Brown, with a kind of purple gills underwater. It looks like a wild type, but there is no concrete proof.
Conclusion
There are claims behind the biggest Axolotl in the world, but the proofs behind that are not satisfactory. The uniqueness of this salamander species was discussed, along with the general length and color. What threats these lazy-looking creatures have from the surroundings were also enlightened with their defensive techniques, similar to a chameleon. Their appearance is almost the same as a tadpole, with a difference in the legs. The extraordinary capabilities of Axolotls are their regeneration skills which are at the topmost level compared to any other being in the world.
