axolotl

Thân thiện

A pink axolotl swims gently in a clear aquarium.

Definition

Noun: 1. A type of salamander: An axolotl is a permanently aquatic salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum) native to lakes near Mexico City. It is notable for retaining its larval features, including external gills, throughout its adult life, a condition known as neoteny.

Usage

The word "axolotl" is used to refer specifically to this unique amphibian species. It is a countable noun. - The biology class studied the regenerative abilities of the axolotl. - She keeps two axolotls in a large aquarium.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific Context: In biology and genetics, the axolotl is a model organism for studying regeneration, development, and evolution due to its ability to regrow limbs, spinal cord, heart, and other organs.
  • The research paper focused on the axolotl's genome and its implications for regenerative medicine.

Variants and Related Words

• Mexican walking fish: (noun) A common name for the axolotl, though it is not a fish but an amphibian.
• Neoteny: (noun) The biological phenomenon of retaining juvenile features into adulthood, which is the defining characteristic of the axolotl.

Synonyms

• Ambystoma mexicanum: (noun) The scientific binomial name for the axolotl.

Related Phrases/Idioms

There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs using "axolotl" as it is a specific zoological term.

Học thuật

Noun

1. larval salamander of mountain lakes of Mexico that usually lives without metamorphosing

Từ đồng nghĩa

• mud puppy
• Ambystoma mexicanum