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What's an Axolotl?
An axolotl is a type of salamander. Its name comes from the Aztec
word "nahuatl," which means water monster. It is named after the
Aztex god xolotl who, according legend, was turned into a
salamander and made to live in the dark waters as a monster. Once
found throughout Mexico, it is now only found in the wild in one lake
in Mexico City, Mexico. Its population has shrunk considerably due to
invasive fish species that compete with the axolotl for food, as well
as eating axolotls. Continual development as well as water pollution
have also contributed to the axolotl's shrinking numbers.
An axolotl is typically less than a foot long. It has tiny legs and feet
and a long tail. A top fin stretches from the back of its head to the
end of its tail. A bottom fin runs from between its back legs to the
end of its tail. Like all salamanders, an axolotl can regrow lost limbs. It
is usually dark in color with black speckles, although albinos and
lighter colors are often seen in axolotls bred in captivity.
An axolotl starts out life as a larvae. Unlike other salamanders,
though, an axolotl's larval features, like the external gills behind its
head, don't change into adult ones as it matures. Axolotls in the wild
eat fish, mollusks, insects, and other axolotls. They usually live for five
or six years, though axolotls in captivity have lived as long as 15
years.
QUESTIONS: What's an Axolotl?
Circle the correct answer.
1. An Axolotl is a type of:
A. bird
B. salamander
C. legend
D. larvae
2. The Aztec word "nahuatl" means:
A. salamander
B. Mexico
C. water monster
D. external gill
3. True or False: An axolotl can regrow lost limbs. __________________
4. An axolotl can grow up to a ______________ long.
5. Axolotls bred in captivity are usually ____________________ in color
than those found in the wild.
6.Axolotls live longer in captivity / the wild.
7. Where do you find axolotls in the wild?
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8. Why are their numbers shrinking?
Goblin Sharks
Goblin Sharks were named after the goblins that
often show up in Japanese folklore. They live along continental shelves
in the bottom of the ocean. They are pink in color and quite large. They
can be as long as twelve feet and weigh almost half a ton.
The Goblin Shark has a very long, flat, narrow snout which is
disproportionately large at birth. Since their bodies grow faster than
their noses, eventually a little Goblin Shark will grow into its nose, though
they always seem out of propotion. Inside its snout are many
electroreceptors called ampullae of Lorenzini. These help the shark to
sense the heartbeats of the tiny creatures it eats, even though it can't
see them in the deep, completely dark water. Inside this snout, its teeth
look like fangs. The jaw of a goblin shark is connected to ligaments
(bands of skin tissue) that can unfold from its snout, allowing it to thrust
out its jaw up to three inches to seize its prey. These features seem to be
its main advantages, as the Goblin Shark has small fins, a weak
skeleton, poorly-developed muscles, and poor eyesight. It is the only
living representative of the Mitsukurinidae family, which has been
around for over a hundred million years.
Though Goblin Sharks are sometimes seen off the coast of Japan.
Scientists don't know much about them, though believe them to be
solitary like other species of sharks. They also think they are probably
active primarily in the mornings and the evenings. Though they are
slow-moving, their extendable jaw gives them an advantage in
catching fleeing prey such as teleost fish and squid.
1. How did Goblin Sharks get their name?
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2. Where do Goblin Sharks live?
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3. What features seem to be the main advantages of the Goblin Shark?
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4. What are some of the Goblin Shark's physical disadvantages?
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