Phylum: ChordataClass: Amphibia

David Hong

Amphibians

• Frogs, Salamanders, Toads

• I am Axolotl. I can reproduce limbs of my body. I can live in the water most of times. I use both gills and lungs. I keep my tail through out my life time!

• My body shapes and functions are only available to my kind!

Habitat

• I only live in Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in Mexico. But dumb humans polluted Lake Chalco, so I cannot live there any longer…..

• I live in temperature at 14 to 17 Celsius. I need to be in place under shinny sun!

My favorite activity

• Although I could go on the land and run around I stay in water and swim across the lake. While I am swimming I look for worms, insects, crustaceans, small fish and dead fishes to eat.

My special traits from my relatives

• I can regenerate my limbs at faster rate than others do.

• Just like my family members I have the potential to live in the water and the land

• I respire through my cartilaginous gills

• Although I use my gill to absorb oxygen I also use my skin too.

• Mature kind of mines can breath on the surface of water.

Unique or Bizarre

• Non-like my family members I have my tails to keep the balance in water.

• Extended gills absorb oxygen.

• I have the potential to live in the water and the land.

• Excrete my urine through my gill and my anus…….

• However I only live in water to protect myself from outsiders.

• My body is very very flexible, because I have cartilaginous skeleton– Similar to fish bone, did

not completely cacified

• Neoteny– Capable of reprodution

in laval state

My ideal mate?

• Of course, I would love to mate with my kind. However ever since dumb humans came into the scene it is so hard for me to find my kind. Specially the pretty ones!

• My ideal mate would be short body with tadpole-like dorsal fin and long extended gills that attracts me. Bright color of her body will definitely attract me the most.

CAN YOU STILL FIND ME A MATE?

Bibliography

• "Axolotl." National geography. National geography. 21 Apr. 2009.

• "Axolotl." TKI. Ministry of Education, New Zealand. 21 Apr. 2009.

• Billet, F. "Axolotl." Toronto Zoo. Toronto Zoo. 22 Apr. 2009.

• Clare, John P. "Introduction." Axolotl. 1 June 2000. Caudata.org. 20 Apr. 2009.