What’s the difference between a newt and an axolotl?

A newt is a salamander but not all salamanders are newts.

There are 9 different families of salamanders and the family Salimandridae contains all of the various newt species.

The axolotl is a member of the family Ambystomatidae, which includes many different types of mole salamander.

To lean more:

Zhang P, Wake DB. 2009. Higher-level salamander relationships and divergence dates inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes. Mol Phylogenet Evol 53: 492–508.

Maden M. Axolotl/newt. 2008. Methods Mol Biol. 461:467-80.

Fun Facts

Why are axolotls the most studied salamander model?

Axolotls are used because they provide a vertebrate model organism that is easy to rear and breed in the lab.

Methods to care for axolotls have been perfected over many decades and they are the only salamanders that can be bred multiple times a year.

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