15 Axolotl Color Morphs
Introduction : Types of Axolotl Colors & Morphs (With Pictures)
The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a salamander native to the lakes and rivers of Mexico. It has the unique ability to regenerate limbs, tails, and other body parts if they are lost in an accident. Axolotls are also known as “water monsters” due to their striking appearance; they have large eyes, whiskers on their heads, feathery gills that protrude from their sides like wings, and long tails with rounded tips. Axolotls can grow up to 15 inches in length but typically only reach 9-12 inches.
Choosing the perfect axolotl is an important decision, and there are many things to consider. Fortunately, there are a lot of different options out there. Some of them include striped axolotls, copper axolotls, leucistic axolotls, and more.
Leucistic
Depending on the substrate that they’re kept in, axolotls’ colours can vary. They come in a range of colours including white, pink, and brown. There are also various morphs. Each morph has its own characteristic.
The most common morphs are leucistic axolotls. They have pink or red gills, black eyes, and dark pigmentation down the sides of their body. Some axolotls can also have freckles. Leucistic axolotls can be pink, white, or yellow. They can also have a solid brown mask on their face.
There are also leucistic axolotls with black spots. These are often found in New Zealand. There are also axolotls with greenish color patterns. They are a mutation that was created by Lloyd Strohl II. They have a unique pattern that is dappled with gold.
The hypomelanistic phenotype is found in very rare axolotls. They are considered to be a new phenotype for axolotls. They don’t produce any melanin, resulting in black eyes. They’re also beige in color.
In addition to the leucistic morph, axolotls can also develop a mosaic morph. This is a hybrid morph that features leucistic and wild type phenotypes. The eggs of mosaic axolotls display colors from both parents randomly. This morph is a result of two cell DNA combining into one.
There are also axolotls that glow in the dark. This phenotype is created in a lab. They are made from GFP, a protein that glows in green in UV light. They’re produced by introducing GFP into regular breeds. These axolotls are not natural, and they’re rare.
Axolotls with a melanoid phenotype are also rare. They have a darker color than the wild axolotls, and they lack shiny patches of skin. They’re also less sensitive to light than albino axolotls. They can be found in Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.
Axolotls colours are also found in many different morphs. They can be a mix of white, pink, and brown, but they can also be black. This can cause confusion. It’s important to know the difference between leucistic and albino axolotls, though. It’s also important to know the difference between wild type axolotls and melanoid axolotls.
Lavender Axolotl
Known as a medicinal animal, lavender axolotls are native to Mexico and are also known as Mexican tiger salamanders. These salamanders have been known to live up to 20 years in captivity. Their color is light purple and silver, with dark-red gills.
These salamanders are highly sensitive to touch and can show aggressive behavior towards their own kind. They also have a large body, which makes them easy to handle. They are highly interactive, and can be kept in aquascapes that have a number of hiding spaces.
Lavender axolotls can be a good addition to your tank. They require a lot of care, but it is worth it. These species are sensitive to water quality, and you should make sure that you keep your tank water clean. It should have a pH level of around 6.5-8. You will also need to be sure that the water is not full of nitrates and ammonia. You should also make sure that the tank is equipped with a filter that is able to remove large particles from the water.
Lavender axolotls are nocturnal animals, so you should ensure that you provide them with a comfortable environment. They also need a diet rich in live foods. They will eat worms, crickets, and fruit flies. They are also sensitive to water quality, and you should ensure that your tank water is free of biowaste and higher nitrate levels.
Lavender axolotls tend to be messy, and you should make sure that you clean your tank on a regular basis. A sponge filter or an external canister filter is the best option for lavender axolotl owners. You will also want to keep your tank water at a temperature of at least 21 degrees Celsius. You will also want to ensure that your tank is free of sharp surfaces, and that there are no rocks or pebbles that are dangerous to the animal.
There are 15 different color morphs that you can choose from, and some of these color morphs are extremely rare. It’s important to make sure that you choose the right morph for your tank.
Enigma
Whether you have an Axolotl as a pet or just a pet for your kids, you will be happy to know that there are different axolotl colours. The Axolotl colour changes depending on the pigment cells that make up the skin. The pigment cells, called chromatophores, contain carotenoids and pteridines. These chromatophores impart iridescence. Axolotls can also have greenish undertones.
The most common colour of an axolotl is the brown colour. There are also variations of brown ranging from light to dark. The gills of an axolotl may also have spots of gold, or iridophores. These iridophores are crystallized purines.
In addition to brown, axolotls can also be pink, green, and blue. These colours are also determined by the pigment cells, called chromatophores. The gills and eyes of an axolotl may have speckles of gold from the iridophores. Axolotls can also be spotted with black or dark blue.
One of the most unique axolotls is the Enigma Axolotl. The Enigma is a cross between a Copper Axolotl and a Melanoid Axolotl. The Enigma has a black base, but there are also spots of golden colour that appear green from certain angles. The base is not very common, and it is believed that the heritability of this morph is not very high.
Another rare colour is the Golden Axolotl. This colour is a solid heavy yellow. The Golden Axolotl is white or pink when it is young, but becomes darker as it matures. The Golden Axolotl can also have black eyes.
Axolotls can also be created with a GFP gene. This genetic modification allows Axolotls to glow in the dark. It was first used for regeneration research, but it has since become recessive. The GFP gene has been passed down from parents to offspring. This gene is similar to the green fluorescent protein. The Axolotl can be created in a lab, but it can also be created in nature.
The most unusual axolotl colour is the Greenish Colour Pattern. This is a morph created by Lloyd Strohl II. The Greenish Colour Pattern is a mixture of a silver-gray morph and a wild type axolotl.
The Enigma morph is dark gray with a white belly and toes, pale red gills, and golden eyes.
Copper
Among the many albino species, axolotls colours are copper. The animal’s color is determined by pigment cells called chromatophores. These cells contain eumelanin and carotenoids. The pigments give the animal a glossy appearance.
There are several morphs of axolotl, including the copper morph. This morph can produce interesting color combinations. The copper morph has a light gray-green body with gray-red gills. Axolotls with this morph have red eyes. The gills of copper axolotls may be darker on one side of the body. These animals may also have sparkly eye rings.
Another common axolotl morph is the melanoid morph. This morph is a combination of a wild type axolotl and a leucistic axolotl. The melanoid morph usually has black eyes, and no golden flecks or shiny pigments. These axolotls have a smooth, solid appearance.
The third axolotl morph is called the mosaic morph. It is the result of two eggs fusing together. This morph usually results in an axolotl that does not survive infancy. It may be defective or may have different growth rates. It can also be infertile. This morph is not usually bred for sale.
This axolotl morph is an accidental fusion. The result of this fusion is slower growth on one side. It may have black spots. Some axolotls with this morph glow in the dark.
The fourth axolotl morph is a leucistic morph. This morph has dark pigmentation patches on the sides and back of the body. Axolotls with this color may also have a light colored tail. Some axolotls can produce iridophores. Iridophores contain crystallized purines, which give the axolotl a glossy appearance.
This morph was developed by one American breeder. It changes from its initial green color to a yellowish-green color as it ages. This morph is very rare. It is also very expensive. The axolotls with this color are usually bred in a lab. This morph is not common outside the US.
This axolotl is also rare. It is a beautiful color combination. The silvery purple hue and the spots on the axolotl’s body create a unique look. This axolotl is extremely expensive, but it is well worth the cost.
Albino
Albino axolotls are white with pink eyes and lack pigment in their skin, eyes, and scales. The albino morph has a mutation in its DNA that causes it to lack pigment. This means they have a shorter lifespan than other axolotls because there is no barrier between the outside environment and their organs or other tissues.
Because they have less protection from UV rays than normal axolotls do, you should keep them indoors where they cannot be exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time.
White Albino Axolotl The Albino Axolotl has a white/pink body, has clear/red eyes, and bright red gills. This Axolotl will not develop any type of freckles or other pigmentation on the body. However, the tips of the finger will become dark and appear as if the axolotl has dirty fingertips.
The white albino comes in two forms, known only as white and xanthic; for simplicity, we will just call them White Albinos.
A wild-type with an albino tail will glow bright green on only the tail, just like a firefly.
Leucistic
A leucistic axolotl will have black eyes, but the rest of its body is white. Unlike albino axolotls, which are born without pigmentation and can be more prone to health issues, leucistic axolots typically do not have any health problems. The lack of pigmentation has nothing to do with the presence of melanocytes (pigment cells), which are unaffected by this morph. Instead, it’s thought that this mutation inhibits the migration of melanoblasts from their original location in the neural crest to other parts of the body where they would normally be present in an animal without this mutation.
Leucistic Axolotl Colors
There are many different color combinations for leucistic axolots that you can buy at pet stores or breed yourself at home by following an appropriate breeding program if you have both parents with leucism as a trait
Copper
Copper axolotls are one of the rarest color morphs to find in the pet trade. They have a copper colored body and fins.
They’re very hard to come by, and if you do manage to get your hands on one, they’ll be quite expensive.
Lavender
Lavender Axolotls are a beautiful color morph. Their vibrant purple shade is a combination of albino and leucistic, which makes it even more rare than the other color morphs. Lavenders are calm and social, with no aggression towards one another or other species in captivity. They also have a shorter lifespan than other axolotl color morphs, living around 5 years on average.
Firefly
The Firefly axolotl is a type of axolotl that has a fluorescent green color. They are a mutation of the wild type axolotl, and can be difficult to find as they are very rare. The body of the Firefly is a dark shade of olive green, while its tail and dorsal fin have bright yellow stripes running down them.
When in captivity, Fireflies tend to become more yellow than their wild counterparts due to dietary inadequacies. They also have shorter lifespans than other types of axolotls due to their higher metabolisms—typically only living for about 2 years before dying—but this doesn’t seem to diminish their popularity with hobbyists or biologists alike.
Mosaic
- Mosaic axolotls are a type of axolotl that have patches of color on their body.
- These are the most common type of axolotl to see in pet stores.
- They are also the easiest type to breed.
Mosaic Axolotl Mosaicism ( Mosaic Axolotl Morphs ) is the result of two cells forming in development, and the axolotl comes out showing the phenotype of both cells.
Golden Albino
Golden albino axolotls are a rare color morph of the axolotl. They are similar to leucistic animals, but have red eyes and golden body color. They often have dark spots or splotches on their bodies, which is another characteristic that separates them from leucistic axolots.
The Golden Albino is difficult to breed because in order for an animal to be albino, both parents must carry recessive genes for it; this means that each parent should be carrying one copy of a gene responsible for producing melanin (the pigment responsible for skin and hair color). Albino mutants also tend to have poor vision due to lack of pigment around the eye area; this can lead them into danger easily due to poor depth perception and sensitivity issues when navigating obstacles such as rocks or plants.
Golden Albino Axolotl This Axolotl has a golden yellow body with shiny patches, clear eyes, with peachy coloured gills. The golden albino lacks melanophores, which is what gives it the gold appearance. Like albinos, Golden Albinos cannot have black eyes, as they are a form of albinism.
Wild Type
The Wild Type is the most common color morph, and probably what you’re picturing when you think of an axolotl. This includes animals with a variety of patterns, including:
- Brown with black spots
- Black without spots (like this one here)
- White with black stripes
Piebald
Piebald axolotl color morphs have some white patches on their bodies, which can be large or small, and are usually on the head and back.
The piebald genetic trait is dominant to wild-type coloration, meaning that it will show up even if a piebald axolotl is bred to a wild-type axolotl. This allows you to get many different combinations of colors by breeding different types together!
Black Melanoid
Black Melanoid
The black melanoid axolotl is a very common morph and the most common color of axolotl. The name comes from the dark brown pigment that is visible in the skin, eyes, and other tissues. This coloration can be found throughout all life stages of an axolotl.
Female black melano females have red eyes and male black melano males have orange eyes (the only exception being if one parent has two copies of a mutant gene called pink-eyed dilution). As with other colors, there are variations between individuals within this morph: some may be darker than others or have more white on their bellies than others do.
Black Axolotl Melanoid looks very similar to dark Wild Types. However, this Axolotl has an increased amount of melanophores, or dark pigment, and lacks shiny pigments.
Melanoid species have more melanophores and fewer iridophores They can range from a dark green to a completely black color with dark purple gills.
Speckled Leucistic
This is another form of leucistic axolotl, with small black spots on their bodies. They are very rare, and also know as “spider” axolotls.
Chimera
Chimeras are formed when two genetically distinct types of cells mix to create a new organism. This can occur during the development of an embryo, or later in life. When cell mixing occurs in early development, it typically results in a single animal with two different sets of DNA. The most well-known examples are chimeras made up of two separate embryos fused together, such as sheep–goat chimeras or lion–tiger chimeras.
In humans and other mammals, however, chimerism often occurs later in life due to organ transplants or blood transfusions that contain genetic material from another person’s germ line (the part of the body where eggs and sperm come from). If this happens to be someone with different genes than you have yourself, your body will treat those cells like foreign invaders and start producing antibodies against them—these antibodies destroy any newly transplanted tissue by attacking its own cells until they die off completely!
Chimera Axolotl Chimerism in Axolotls is said to be when two eggs fuse together in development, and each side grows according to the egg it came from, often resulting in a split-down-the-middle appearance. One side can often grow at a slightly slower rate than the other. Chimera cannot be duplicated in breeding
Heavily-Marked Melanoid
Heavily-Marked Melanoid
This is a rare color morph that has been selectively bred for over two centuries. Heavily-marked melanoids are very dark with a white or yellow pattern on their sides and belly, as well as having a dark stripe running down their backs and over their eyes.
Green Fluorescent Protein
Fluorescent proteins are used in molecular biology to track the expression of genes of interest. They were discovered by Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie and Roger Tsien who each shared a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on these proteins in 2008.
Fluorescent proteins are proteins that fluoresce (glow) when exposed to light. The most commonly used fluorescent protein is GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) which was isolated from jellyfish, Aequorea victoria by Steven A. Carr and Douglas Prasher at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1992. By using an ultraviolet excitation source you can see this protein glow a bright green color under a microscope because it absorbs blue and UV light but emits red/green light which makes it easy for us humans!
Enigma
The enigma axolotl is a rare color morph that can be found in the wild. It has a black body with white spots, red eyes and either no pigment or very little pigment on their gills.
The enigma axolotl is not an albino because it has dark pigmentation rather than no pigmentation.
There are many different types of axolotls.
There are many different types of axolotls. White and leucistic (white) axolotls are albino axolotls with no pigmentation at all, so their skin is white or pink. Copper axolotls are dark orange or brownish-red in color due to their melanin pigment being produced in excess by the animal. Lavender (lilac), firefly and mosaic axolotls have colored markings on a white background instead of having completely black eyes like wild type do. Golden albino and piebald axolotls have an even lighter colored body than copper ones, with bright yellow eyes that make them look quite striking when they swim around together side by side! Wild type (non-albino) is the most common type of aquatic salamander out there: it has normal coloring but lacks any genetic mutations whatsoever — even if it looks like its siblings might have some sort of mutation! Black melanoid animals have black bodies with light grey spots scattered over them; speckled leucistic animals have grey bodies with small white dots randomly appearing throughout their flesh while chimeras are made up from two different species merged together into one creature!”
Rare Axolotl Colors Most of these colors are very rare because they are caused by a mutation of the color genes in the Axolotl. These rare colors include Chimera, Mosaic, and Piebald coloring.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has given you a better sense of the wide range of axolotl color morphs. If you’re interested in more information about the various color morphs, check out the links below!