Background: As the role of Ambystoma mexicanum, or the Mexican axolotl, expands in research applications beyond its traditional use in studies of limb regeneration, a staging table that is more anatomically extensive is required. Here, we describe axolotl skull development as it relates to previously established developmental stages that were based on limb development.
Results: We find that most key developmental events in the skull correspond to these previously established stages, creating easily recognizable stages of axolotl throughout skull morphogenesis.
Conclusions: With this complementary staging table in hand, researchers can stage axolotl larvae when limb data are missing or incomplete, or when cranial data alone is available.
Keywords: Ambystoma mexicanum; axolotl; development; skull; staging.
© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.