Axolotls

Axolotls are unique among salamanders because they typically stay in their larval form throughout their life cycle, a way of life called neoteny. Because of this, axolotls retain their gills -- which are external and give the axolotls kind of an alien look. I don't have any good photos of these creatures, but if you visit the National Geographic's page on them, you will see a fabulous photo of an axolotl showing off its gills (National Geographic once bestowed the axolotl with the dubious honor of "top weird animal").

I just wrote a paper about axolotls for a class I am taking, because axolotls are considered critically endangered in the wild due to loss of habitat, harvesting for food, and predation by and competition from introduced species. It is thought that there are few left in the wild (they are only found in 2 lakes in Mexico which have dramatically diminished in size due to development), though they do breed readily in captivity. Only captive bred axolotls should be kept as pets due to laws protecting them. They are reasonably easy to care for and do make interesting pets, though they do represent a long term commitment as they can live for 10-15 years. See Axolotls as Pets for more about their care.

On a related note, I'd like to have a good quality photo (or several!) of an axolotl that I can use on my site. If you have a clear digital photo of an axolotl (and are the legal owner of said photo) and would be willing to let me publish it here, you can submit it by following these instructions.