They live in Mexico.
They are found in only one high altitude freshwater lakes in Mexico's called Xochimilco near Mexico City. They used to also be found in Lake Chalco, but that lake has been drained.
They are salamanders that live underwater (aquatic). Their gills have distinctive feathery extensions. They have a long, finned tail for swimming. They can grow up to a foot long (30 cm), but weigh less than 4 ounces (110g). They have short legs with four toes on the front feet and five toes on the back feet. They have a large mouth and a square jaw.
They live along and are active during the day (diurnal). They are fully aquatic and do not have a terrestrial (on land) stage.
They eat small fish, worms, insects, small squid, shrimp, and crabs.
Females lay up to 300 eggs, each inside a jelly coating. She will attach each egg separately to a rock or plant under water water. She lays eggs once a year in the spring. They do not care for their young. The eggs hatch in about 2 weeks.
They live about 6 years (sometimes more in captivity). They are critically endangered.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Ambystomatidae
Genus: Ambystoma
Species: A. mexicanum
