Ambistomas, Ambistoma (Ambystomatidae)

The relatively small family of the ambistomus includes 28 species belonging to 5 genera of tailed amphibians, distributed only in North and Central America.

The overwhelming majority of species are grouped in the genus Ambysloma (21 species), widespread and well known for its neotenic larvae locally called axolotl (playing in water). Other genera of this family unite few species common either in the extreme west of North America (Rhyacolriton - 1 species; Dicamptodon - 2 species), or in Central America (Rhyacosiridon - 4 species; Bathysiridon - 1 species).

Ringed ambistoma (Ambystoma annulatum)

All members of the family are characterized by biconcave vertebrae, the absence of the angular bone of the skull, the transverse arrangement of the palatine teeth, and internal fertilization.

A number of observations in nature have shown that in shallow water bodies with high temperatures, metamorphosis in most subspecies is necessarily ambist and they relatively quickly turn into adult animals. On the contrary, neotenic larvae often remain in deep water bodies with low temperatures. In some subspecies in nature, metamorphosis does not occur at all, so for them only neotenic larvae are known - axolotls. Some authors still refer them to a special species or even the genus Siredon. However, in the experiment, these axolotls can also be turned into an ambist. These axolotls have been known for a long time, and for a long time they were considered special permanent-tailed amphibians. However, in 1865 in Paris for the first time they observed their transformation into an ambist. Further research showed that the transformation of the larvae occurs under the influence of the thyroid hormone.Axolotls of a number of subspecies usually do not turn into ambistoma due to the underdevelopment of the thyroid gland. By keeping axolotls in solutions of the thyroid gland, feeding them with pieces of this gland, or injecting the hormone thyroidin into the blood, one can easily achieve their transformation into an ambistome.

Тигровая амбистома (Ambystoma tigrinum)

Systematics family Ambistomy, ambistomovye:

Genus: Ambystoma Tschudi, 1838 = Ambistomy

View: Ambystoma mexicanum = Ambistoma Mexican or axolotl

View: Ambystoma tigrinum = Ambistoma tiger

View: Ambystoma opacum = marbled salamander

type: Ambystoma laterale = Bluespotted ambistoma

View: Ambystoma texanum = brachycephalic ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma amblycephalum Taylor = Pyatnistobokaya ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma andersoni Krebs et Brandon = stocky ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma annulatum Cope = Ringed ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma bombypellum Taylor = Brilliant ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma cingulatum Cope = Net ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma dumerilii (Duges, 1870) = Ambistoma Dumeril

Type: Ambystoma flavipiperatum Dixon = freckled ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma gracile (Baird) = ambistoma Brown

Type: Ambystoma granulosum Taylor = Olive ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma jeffersonianum (Green) = Ambistoma Jefferson

Type: Ambystoma lacustris Taylor et Smith H. = Ozyornaya ambistoma

type: Ambystoma lermaense (Taylor, 1940) = edible ambistoma

View: Ambystoma mabeei Bishop = silvery blue ambistoma

View: Ambystoma macrodactylum Baird, 1849 = clawed ambistoma

View: Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw) = spotted salamander

type: Ambystoma ordinarium Taylor = River ambistoma

type: Ambystoma platineum Cope = Silver ambistoma

Species: Ambystoma rosaceum Taylor = Pink ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma schmidti Taylor = Ambistoma Schmidt

Type: Ambystoma talpoideum (Holbrook) = Krotovidnaya ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma taylori Brandon, Maruska et Rumph = auburn ambistoma

Type: Ambystoma tremblayi Comeau = Ambistoma Tremblay

Genus: Rhyacosiredon Dunn = Mountain ambistomy

Type: Rhyacosiredon altamirani (Duges) = Mountain ambistoma

Species: Rhyacosiredon leorae Taylor = Shy ambistoma

Species: Rhyacosiredon rivularis Taylor =

Species: Rhyacosiredon zempoalaensis (Taylor et Smith H.) = High-altitude ambistoma