Axolotl Colours

There are quite a few different axolotl colour variants around, here I shall list some of the most common ones -

Wild Type
Wild types tend to vary from shade to shade, most dark brown with speckles of black and yellow - although some tend to even look tan.


Melanoid
Melanoid axolotls lack iridophores (the shiny patches on axolotls bodies and around their eyes). They have dark pigment cells (called melanophores), making them black.
Melanoids can be quite similar in appearance to Wild Types, but the best way to tell the difference between to two is to look at their eyes - wild types (and all other axolotl colours besides melanoids) will have a shiny ring around their pupil. While melanoids do not.



Albino
Albino axolotls lack melanophore pigments, showing the white colour of their skin. They have red/pink eyes due to the underling blood vessels showing through.

Golden Albino
Golden albino have a golden colour, with red/pink eyes.


Copper
Coppers are commonly found in Australia, although are hard to come by in most other countries. 
Appearing like wild-types, coppers vary from shade to shade - most a caramel colour, although are also darker.
Unlike wildtypes, coppers are albinos. If you look closely at their eyes (a small torch may help), they will be red, even if they look dark. Like albinos, coppers lay white eggs.



Leucistic
Leucistic axolotls are very different from albinos, even though they are both white. Leucistics have reduced pigmentation in their body, resulting with their white colour. Sometimes can have speckles of black on them - this is also known as "piebald".
Leucistics always have black eyes, so to differentiate leucistics with albinos - look at their eyes (albinos have red/pink eyes).



While this lovely Leucistic of mine has red eyes, there is a black rim AROUND the red - indicating her Leucism.

8 comments:

  1. lovely clear pictures, such sweet creatures

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  2. This blog is gr8! This page was very accurate! Can u plz have a forum on this blog? That would be awesome!!!

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    1. Thankyou!
      Not sure how to go about with a forum, but thanks for the suggestion. :)

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  3. Thanks for the really clear explanations and photos. Do you know if they change colour as they grow? I have a two week old baby/larva that is a mid greyish colour with dark eyes.

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    1. Thanks for the comment!
      Sounds like your little lotl will be wild type. :)

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  4. great blog i was just wondering what would a golden coloured axolotl with dark eyes called

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    1. Thanks Jamie.
      I would say albino... but you said dark eyes? Would you be able to post a photo? Feel free to link to a photo from a Photo hosting site (I use Photobucket)

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