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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Axolotl

Axolotl \Ax"o*lotl\, n. [The native name.] (Zo["o]l.) An amphibian of the salamander tribe found in the elevated lakes of Mexico; the siredon.

Note: When it breeds in captivity the young develop into true salamanders of the genus Amblystoma. This also occurs naturally under favorable conditions, in its native localities; although it commonly lives and breeds in a larval state, with persistent external gills. See Siredon.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
axolotl

1786, genus of Mexican salamanders, from Spanish, from Nahuatl, literally "servant of water," from atl "water" + xolotl "slippery or wrinkled one, servant, slave" [see Frances Karttunen, "An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl"].

Wiktionary
axolotl

n. An amphibian of the salamander tribe found in the elevated lakes of Mexico, (taxlink Ambystoma mexicanum species noshow=1).

WordNet
axolotl

n. larval salamander of mountain lakes of Mexico that usually lives without metamorphosing [syn: mud puppy, Ambystoma mexicanum]

Wikipedia
Axolotl

The axolotl (, from [aː.ˈʃóː.loːtɬ]) also known as a Mexican salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum) or a Mexican walking fish, is a neotenic salamander, closely 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 originates from numerous lakes, such as Lake Xochimilco underlying Mexico City. Axolotls are unusual among amphibians in that they reach adulthood without undergoing metamorphosis. Instead of developing lungs and taking to land, the adults remain aquatic and gilled.

Axolotls should not be confused with waterdogs, the larval stage of the closely related tiger salamanders (A. tigrinum and A. mavortium), which are widespread in much of North America and occasionally become neotenic. Neither should they be confused with mudpuppies (Necturus spp.), fully aquatic salamanders which are not closely related to the axolotl but bear a superficial resemblance.

, wild axolotls were near extinction due to urbanization in Mexico City and consequent water pollution. They are currently listed by CITES as an endangered species and by IUCN as critically endangered in the wild, with a decreasing population. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate limbs. Axolotls were also sold as food in Mexican markets and were a staple in the Aztec diet.

A four-month-long search in 2013 turned up no surviving individuals in the wild. Previous surveys in 1998, 2003 and 2008 had found 6000, 1000 and 100 axolotls per square kilometer in its Lake Xochimilco habitat, respectively.

Axolotl (band)

Axolotl is the name of musician Karl Bauer's musical output. While Axolotl originally included members William Sabiston and Brian Tester, since 2005 it has been a primarily solo outing on Bauer's part. Axolotl began in 2002 in Brooklyn, New York. Most notable in his music is his use of the violin or viola and his vocals, though he often uses many instruments including electronics, synths and various percussion.

Bauer is also a frequent collaborator with Mouthus, The Skaters and Yellow Swans, and has also collaborated with Kemialliset Ystävät and Neil Campbell

Axolotl was featured in a main article in the August 2007 issue of The Wire. He also toured with Animal Collective throughout Europe in the Fall of 2008, and has shared the stage with in the past as well. He was also a part of the Approximately Infinite Universe Tour, which also featured Kemialliset Ystävät and The Skaters.

Usage examples of "axolotl".

Within the pile of sand and soil and rock from which the pansies sprouted, were a maze of tiny crevices and caverns, and from each peeked the feathered head of an axolotl, speckled and foolish.

Then, to the amazement of the two on-lookers, he set the four axolotls on the plate, and they immediately began to dance about as if they were having a wonderful time of it They dashed this way and darted that way and made little axolotl footprints throughout, pausing now and again to lick their feet clean before prancing off again through the goop.

At bottom, an axolotl squirmed from a symbolic puddle half into the air, and fell back.

But unlike other salamanders, the axolotl spent its entire life as a larva.

It was down one of the endlessly dividing data branches growing out of that single muffled reference to the set of synthetic genes that had been derived from the embryonic switching mechanisms of the axolotl and the fearsome dragonfly nymph.

If you find pansies growing wild, you can count on axolotls being there-abouts, ready to lend a man a hand.

After a minute or so of such foolery, Miles plucked the four axolotls out and handed them to Dooly, who was rather at a loss over what to do with them.

He called after Dooly and retrieved the axolotls, and then with a last farewell, stepped ashore and disappeared around the ruined boathouse.

Magicians and Axolotls THE river carried them along toward the sea, and for three days they did little else but eat, sleep, and throw out an occasional fishing line.

Jonathan let the two axolotls, who seemed well enough satisfied, lay limp in his hands.

Five days had passed since the wizard had run the axolotls through the poultice, and Professor Wurzle was fit as a fiddle, as he liked to say while slapping himself on the chest.

And if he had to start with pointless exercises on axolotls, he would do so.

It was only when some axolotls in captivity in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris bred, and their young lost their gills, becoming the well-known tiger salamander, that their secret was revealed.

Human scientists believed it to be a separate species until, by chance, some axolotls on exhibition changed into air-breathing adults, as axolotls cut off from water will sometimes do.

He was entirely alone in the newt section where the great Japanese newt, the American hellbender, Andrias Scheuchzeri and a number of small amphibians, axolotls, eels, reptiles and frogs were exhibited.