Why are axolotls the most studied salamander model?
Axolotls are used because they provide a vertebrate model organism that is easy to rear and breed in the lab.
Methods to care for axolotls have been perfected over many decades and they are the only salamanders that can be bred multiple times a year.
What’s the difference between a newt and an axolotl?
A newt is a salamander but not all salamanders are newts.
There are 9 different families of salamanders and the family Salimandridae contains all of the various newt species.
What determines whether an axolotl will grow up to be male or female?
Axolotls have genetic sex-determination - a locus on an axolotl chromosome determines whether an axolotl is male or female.
In salamanders, the sex determining mechanism is referred to as ZZ/ZW and the heterogametic sex is female.
How long does it take for a salamander to regenerate a limb?
The length of time it takes a salamander to regenerate varies in several ways.
As a salamander gets older, its ability to regenerate decreases.
Why is the axolotl genome so large?
As a group, salamanders have larger genomes than the other amphibians.
It doesn’t appear that the axolotl has more genes than other vertebrates (Smith et al., 2009).
