Meeting Abstract
Axolotls are neotenic ambystomoids which are closely related to North American tiger salamanders. Though axolotls generally remain aquatic, there are rare cases of spontaneous metamorphosis where they become terrestrial. While metamorphosed axolotls appear very similar to other terrestrial ambystomoids, there are significant differences in the functionality of the metamorphosed axolotls which are poorly understood due to the rarity of the metamorphosis. Initial inspection of the terrestrial axolotls indicate that they have issues in locomotion and coordination. Are there developmental timing windows not met by the axolotls, which may cause metamorphosed axolotls to be less adapted to terrestrial locomotion? This study is examining the potential differences of the functional morphology that occur developmentally. In particular, high speed cinematography was used to observe the kinematics of the salamanders. Particular physical landmarks on the salamanders were marked, tracked, and analyzed to compare movement and function. Variables such as velocity, acceleration, and jerk were examined and compared. Initial analysis of the data showed that metamorphosed axolotls had greater amplitudes of acceleration and greater jerk (the rate of change of acceleration), meaning their movement is less smooth and balanced. This is indicative of lower efficiency and less coordination in metamorphosed axolotls than tiger salamanders.
