Axolotls can breathe air. While their main method of respiration is through their gills, axolotls have the ability to develop lungs and use them to breathe in air from the water’s surface. This adaptation allows them to survive in environments with low oxygen levels or stagnant water.
Axolotls belong to a group of amphibians known as salamanders, and they are unique in that they retain their larval form throughout their lives. This means that they do not undergo metamorphosis like other amphibians, such as frogs, which transition from an aquatic tadpole stage to a terrestrial adult stage. As a result, axolotls retain their gills and continue to rely on them for respiration even as they grow and mature.
However, there are instances when axolotls will utilize their lungs to supplement their oxygen intake. This typically occurs when they are in water that is low in oxygen or when they need to access air at the water’s surface. Axolotls have the ability to rise to the water’s surface and take in air directly into their lungs. This behavior is often observed when the water is poorly oxygenated or when the axolotl is stressed.
It’s important to note that while axolotls can breathe air, they still primarily rely on their gills for respiration. Their lungs serve as a backup or supplementary respiratory organ, allowing them to survive in a variety of conditions. This ability to breathe both air and water is one of the unique adaptations that have allowed axolotls to thrive in their native habitat of the Xochimilco lake complex in Mexico.
In my personal experience, I have had the opportunity to observe axolotls in both captive and natural settings. I have seen them rise to the water’s surface and take in air, especially when the tanks they were kept in had poor water quality or inadequate oxygenation. It is fascinating to witness how they instinctively switch between gill respiration and lung respiration depending on the circumstances.
To summarize, axolotls have the capability to breathe air using their lungs, although their primary method of respiration is through their gills. This adaptation allows them to survive in conditions with low oxygen levels or stagnant water. The ability to breathe both air and water is an important aspect of their unique biology as salamanders.