dailysciencething:

aeromachia:

I don’t remember the exact details, but this reminds me in some ways of the experiment where they gave an axolotl growth hormone and it developed into a kind of salamander that hasn’t lived on the earth for thousands of years. I’ve always been fascinated by ancient ruins and civilisations, and I guess I like the fact that there are still genes around that code for fragments of the past :3

Axolotls! One of my favorites. I’ll have to do a post on them at some point. B) And yes, adding thyroid hormone can cause a metamorphosis - here’s a nice paper detailing the progression of the metamorphosis after the hormone is added. And here’s a picture of an axolotl because axolotls are awesome:

[If you don’t know about them, it’s high time you did.] Axolotls are a type of salamander that retains its larval characteristics for its entire lifetime. They develop lungs, but they never lose those fine, feathery gills you see.

However, axolotls metamorphosing into adults are not quite so rare! They’re not inclined to ‘grow up’ naturally, for the most part, but can do so if forced by circumstances, say, if their habitat dries up or if their parents kick them out of the house and tell them to get a job. However, morphing tends to be very stressful on axolotls, and it is not recommended that this be induced. Hobbyists who have had accidental morphs report a decline in the axolotl’s lifespan and general health.

Neoteny!

Another awesome thing about axolotls is that they can regenerate lost limbs. If a predator chomps off a leg, a new one grows in its place.