#2002 · 🐸 amphibians

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

CRcritically endangered 🐸 Amphibians 📍 outside Europe

10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

what is it?

The axolotl (/ˈæksəlɒtəl/, from Classical Nahuatl: āxōlōtl (listen); plural axolotls or rarely axolomeh ; Spanish: Ajolote ), Ambystoma mexicanum , also known as the Mexican walking fish , is a neotenic salamander related to the tiger salamander. Although the axolotl is colloquially known as a "walking fish", it is not a fish, but an amphibian. The species was originally found in several lakes, such as Lake Xochimilco underlying Mexico City.

base stats

NL sightings 0iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 3,018iNaturalist observations
weight 226.8 gadult, up to
length 45.7 cmadult, up to
threat CRcritically endangered

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
3,018 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
Weighs only about 227 g.
About 46 cm long.
Scientifically named by George Shaw in 1798 (228 years ago).
Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.