{"id":1281,"date":"2021-12-27T17:40:55","date_gmt":"2021-12-27T17:40:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interestinganimalfacts.com\/?p=1281"},"modified":"2021-12-27T17:40:57","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T17:40:57","slug":"what-do-axolotls-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interestinganimalfacts.com\/what-do-axolotls-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"What Do Axolotls Eat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
In the modern world, there are a great many animals that have been domesticated by humanity. Some of these are big, like horses or dogs, while others remain small, like cats or rabbits.
However, the sheer variety of animals available and humanity’s never-ending love for an animal companion has given rise to a set of unique and wonderful creatures that people have become enamored by, some beloved by many, others a niche pet for those with great skill, and others still appreciated from a distance.
I can think of multitudes of animals for each of these groups: dogs and cats for number one, chameleons and hedgehogs for number two, and spiders for number three.
However, I can only think of one animal that fits all three, and that is the axolotl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An axolotl is an unusual, little creature that comes from the lakes that surround Mexico City. It is part of the amphibian family, along with frogs and toads, and it is actually a salamander, with its closest living relative being the tiger salamander.
Almost all amphibians go through several stages of metamorphosis, much like insects, they will start with an egg laid in water that will hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles are the aquatic larvae form of the amphibian with external gills, they are mostly vegetarian and spend their time eating and growing.
As time passes, they will gain internal gills and limbs, and as more time passes, they grow a larger mouth, a tongue, lungs, and front legs, while losing their gills. Internal biology will also change, with their eyes becoming more complex and their blood changing.
Finally, most become insectivorous and terrestrial, completing the change.
This is not the case with the axolotl. The axolotl will reach its adult form before completing its final metamorphosis, making them a very unique creature.
They gain some features, such as a large mouth and limbs, but keep others that normally they would lose, like external gills and a tail. Not only that, but these little amphibians are known as masters of regeneration, being able to regrow limbs, gills, eyes, and even their brains.
People have known of their existence for millennia, with Native Americans selling them as street food in the past. Even today, their existence fascinates and astounds, not only people on the street, but scientists as well who use them extensively for research and study due to the extraordinary abilities this little salamander has.<\/p>\n\n\n\n