Shishir Chakma

The Firefly Axolotl (Axolotl hexakis) is a large South American predatory fish which is commonly distributed across much of its geographical distribution in South America. It is reported regularly being caught in the Amazon Basin up to recently, although reports from the Andes mountains are also increasing. It is thought to be one of the few large freshwater fish capable of long distances travelling.

The Firefly Axolotl is generally recognized by its bright orange color, its distinctive head-shaped fins and by the small, scales covering its body. It's also distinguished by its leaping ability, swimming rapidity and even the capability of tail-breaking very quickly. However, it is these fast speeds which make it somewhat less useful than other smaller, lighter fish which would normally have had a bigger advantage when leaping ability was compared. For example, it's not unusual to see goldfish and several members of the genus Ogon swimming along at about 4 km per hour when confronted with a jumping firefly. Even so, the firefly Axolotl is one of the largest aquatic carnivores in the world (it can reach lengths of around 25 inches!). This ability to jump and chase prey also means that this fish is able to catch and eat a variety of prey.

It's worth mentioning however that this fish has been known to bite humans (especially if the person is not trained). The cause of this is not clearly known, but it is believed to have something to do with the fact that the fish has a powerful sense of smell. In fact, it's not uncommon for people to suffer from a bad case of enigma after eating or handling a Firefly Axolotl. The taste of the flesh is extremely pungent, and it has been recorded that some people have even vomited when they have eaten something that was cooked by a Firefly Axolotl. This is however, a rare occurrence. There are no recorded cases of humans being attacked by the enigma axolotl, and it is believed to be a purely instinctive behavior.

Although it is not clear how these animals locate food, it is assumed that they sense their prey through olfactory glands. The smell of food is picked up by these glands and transferred via the gills to the tongue, where it is ingested. From here the taste is transferred into the stomach, and finally to the mouth where it is chewed to digest. Whilst there are only a few species of firefly axolotls, those that do live in the wild appear to be quite social, and congregate regularly in pairs or groups to feed.

A few facts about the Axolotl make them even more interesting; they are among one of the few insects that are completely colorless and possess no tail (other than the red gills). Red-colored axolotls are commonly called 'fireflies', though this name is sometimes applied to red albinos, which also lack wings and mouth. Other colors that may be confused with axolotls are white albino, and yellow albinos.

As you can see from the information contained here, the Fireflies belong to a very unusual family, and their classification as neither bird nor mammal is particularly accurate. Although they look very similar to both mosquitoes and flies, it is very unlikely that any common wild insect would be able to prey on them, as they are very fast moving insects. Fireflies are therefore unique among members of their insect Kingdom, and are perhaps the most "altered" members of the animal kingdom. It is possible that they are, in fact, not true bugs at all, but a different kind of insect altogether.