Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Axolotl |
AxolotlNoun1. Larval salamander of mountain lakes of Mexico that usually lives without metamorphosing. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Note: Axolotl \Ax"o*lotl\, noun. [The native name.]. (Websters 1913) |
Synonym: AxolotlSynonym: mud puppy (n). (additional references) |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
| Axolotl | ||||||||||||||
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| Ambystoma mexicanum Shaw |
The Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum, the colloquial Mexican walking fish) is an aquatic salamander.
It is noted for its appearance and its demonstration of neoteny, remaining in its aquatic larval form even as a sexually-mature adult, and not undergoing metamorphosis.
A fully grown axolotl, at age 18-24 months, ranges in length from 150-450 mm, although a size close to 230 mm is most common and greater than 300 mm is rare. They have distinctive 'fern-like' gill structures that are not covered (as are gills in fish and in frog tadpoles); axolotls also breathe through the skin and possess lungs. In colour they range from albino or white to black, through greys, tans and browns. Wild axolotls are rarely white, and the albino mutant common in labs and pet stores was created in an American laboratory in the 1950s. The axolotl is carnivorous, consuming small prey such as insects and small fish, which are swallowed whole.
Axolotls are very closely related to Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum), and would probably better be considered a subspecies of tiger salamander than a separate species. Axolotls can metamorphose, although they do so rarely, and in the metamorphosed condition they resemble Ambystoma mavortium, a relative of the tiger salamander.
Native only to Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in central Mexico, the wild population has been put under heavy pressure by the growth of Mexico City. It is currently listed by CITES as an endangered species. In the Spanish language it is called the Salamandra ajolote.
The axolotl is used in research and large numbers are bred in captivity. The feature of the salamander that attracts most attention is its healing: the axolotl does not heal by scarring and is capable of regenerating entire lost appendages and, in certain cases, more vital structures. Another attractive feature, for research, is the large and robust embryos.
The name is from the Aztec Nahuatl language.
Pop cultural reference: The word "axolotl" is used frequently in crossword puzzles. It was often used in the early years of Mad Magazine as a running joke.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Axolotl."
Crosswords: Axolotl |
| English words defined with "axolotl": Siredon. (references) |
| Domain | Title |
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Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Axolotl Lake near Virginia City. Credit: Merv Coleman. |  | Cloud formations over the Axolotl Lake area. Credit: Merv Coleman. |
 | Fall Foliage in the Axolotl Lakes Wilderness Study Area. Credit: Merv Coleman. |  | Reflections on Axolotl Lake. Credit: Merv Coleman. |
 | Clouds reflecting in Axolotl Lake. Credit: Merv Coleman. |  | Trees reflecting on Axolotl Lake. Credit: Merv Coleman. |
 | Fall grass blowing near Axolotl Lake. Credit: Merv Coleman. |  | Grass blowing in the wind next to Axolotl Lake. Credit: Merv Coleman. |
 | Flowering lillies in Axolotl Lake. Credit: Merv Coleman. |  | Blooming Lillies in Axolotl Lake, near Virginia City. Credit: Merv Coleman. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
axolotl | 75 |
axolotl picture | 2 |
axolotl pic | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "axolotl"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | axolotl-enhed (axolotl unit). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | Axolotl-eenheid (axolotl unit). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
French | unité axolotl (axolotl unit). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Axolotl-Einheit (axolotl unit). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | μονάδα axolotl (axolotl unit). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | unit axolotl (axolotl unit). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | アヘン中' (abort, aperitif, append, appetizer, availability, Ave Maria, avenue, average, average golfer, avocado, back-to-back homeruns, edible salamander, Hail Mary, Mexican walking fish, neotonous salamander, opium poisoning, together, with someone). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | アホロトル (edible salamander, Mexican walking fish, neotonous salamander). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | axolotlay unidade axolotle (axolotl unit). (various references) ajolote. (various references) аксолотль. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "axolotl": axolotls. (additional references) | |
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"Axolotl" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: axalotl, axolot. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-l-l-o-o-t-x" | |
-2 letters: allot, atoll. | |
-3 letters: alto, loot, lota, olla, tall, tola, toll, tool. | |
-4 letters: all, alt, lat, lax, loo, lot, lox, oat, oot, oxo, tao, tax, too. | |
-5 letters: al, at, ax, la, lo, ox, ta, to. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-l-l-o-o-t-x" | |
+1 letter: axolotls. | |
+5 letters: zooxanthella. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Slideshow 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Expressions: Internet 8. Translations: Modern | 9. Derivations 10. Anagrams 11. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
