Axolotl keychain

cults3d

With a Bum! for this creature with the release of the iconic Mexican 50 peso bill, I decided to design a series of keychains that I will be uploading later, this being the first of some planned designs. If you are interested in knowing a little about this curious animal I leave you some information about it below. The Mexican axolotl or ajolote, Ambystoma mexicanum, is a salamander with the unusual characteristic of retaining its larval features in its adult life. This condition, which is known as neoteny, means that it retains its tadpole-like dorsal fin - which runs almost the entire length of its body - and its external gills, which protrude from the back of its broad, feather-like head. This unique amphibian is critically endangered according to the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, due to habitat loss, the introduction of invasive species into its habitat, overexploitation, pollution and its consumption as food. The axolotl is found only in the Xochimilco (pronounced Sochimilco) lake complex near Mexico City, and differs from most salamanders in that it lives permanently in water. In extremely rare cases, the axolotls mature and leave the water, but in most cases they prefer to remain at the bottom of the lakes and canals of Xochimilco.