Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) are a critically endangered species of salamander. The species has only one natural habitat remaining, a series of canals in Mexico City, and only 50-1000 axolotls are estimated to be left living there.[1] However, axolotls have become popular both as pets and as model organisms in research, so descendants of axolotls collected from Mexico City many years ago can now be found around the world. Axolotls are highly regenerative, able to regrow entire limbs, and this aspect of their biology is of interest to many researchers—including some at Whitehead Institute. Read the latest story in our Unusual Labmates series to learn more about these fascinating creatures, what Whitehead Institute researchers are hoping to discover by studying them, and why they are worth preserving in the wild.
