Ambystoma mexicanum

Ambystoma mexicanum lives only in Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco,
both adjacent to Mexico City.
Xochimilco and Chalco are part of a complex of five lakes,
among which the Aztecs built Mexico City
and around which the city has since expanded.
The lakes were once highly productive,
many of their species being economically and nutritionally valuable.
Today a great deal of the area has been drained,
or compromised by development of other kinds.
Lake Xochimilco is known for its “floating gardens,” or “chinampas,”
strips of land between drainage channels
where locals grow vegetables and flowers for market.
A. mexicanum can be found in these channels
and in remaining lake areas.
It may have previously lived in the channels
joining two of the other lakes in the complex (Griffiths et al. 1988).
In the wild, the species lives underwater.
Outside of the wild,
it is kept as an aquarium pet
and is used widely in laboratory experiments.


美西螈, 学名墨西哥钝口螈
（学 名"Ambystoma mexicanum, 英文名称"Axolotl）
俗称六角恐龙, 是水栖的两栖类, 是墨西哥的特有种,
因其独特的外貌及的幼体性熟而著名.
也就是说, 即使 在性成熟后也不会经历适应陆地的变态,
仍保持它的水栖糼体型态.
虽然在全球有作为宠物而被饲养（特别是北美等地),
但其原栖地已被大量开发, 可生活面积不多于10平方公里.
目前在IUCN红色名录内被评为极危物种.