Axlotl tank

Axlotl tanks are a technology in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert in the 'Dune' series.

Axlotl tanks are produced by the Bene Tleilax and serve as wombs in which a clone or ghola can be grown; in later books the axlotl tanks have been upgraded to be capable of producing the spice melange. During the final two Dune books, it is remarked that nobody has ever seen a Tleilaxu female — this is because females in Tleilaxu society are taken and turned into axlotl tanks by a process of genetic mutation. In essence, the women become huge, immobile wombs which are then used by the Tleilaxu Masters to grow whatever biological products are required, this being the reason why nobody has ever been able to duplicate the technology; however, in the final book Chapterhouse Dune the Tleilaxu Master Scytale is forced to reveal the means of creating the tanks to the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood.