When we talk about the smallest animals in the world we refer to the smallest vertebrate animals we can find. So small that we could hold them on the tip of our finger.
Bats, chameleons, amphibians, Today we know the smallest of them all, as well as curiosities about those specific species.
The smallest animals in the world
If we talked about the smallest animals in the world in a general way, we would have to talk about insects and fish, which can measure between 0,2 and 0,3 cm. But today we want to talk about some of the animals smallest vertebrates within their own species, and we are sure they will surprise you. Among them we will meet the smallest mammal that exists.
Which are?
1. The smallest bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai)
Since yesterday, April 17th, was International Bat Day, what better way to start talking about them than with a start. Kitti's pig-nosed bat is considered the smallest mammal in the world, although it is a position that is disputed with the shrew which we will talk about next.
Also known as the bumblebee bat or the botfly, it weighs approximately 2 grams and can measure between 2,9cm and 3,3cm, although if we count the wingspan then it can reach 15 cm from tip to tip. It is native to Burma and Thailand where it lives in limestone caves near water. If you are interested in learning more about other animals that live in different regions, you can read about the desert animals.
2. The shrew (Suncus etruscus)
You've probably heard or heard someone say, "Don't just stare at the moon," an expression used to describe being lost in thought or distracted. But did you know that the shrew is the smallest mammal in terms of weight? just 2 grams? Its measurement can be between 3,6 and 5,3 cm which makes it somewhat larger than the nose bat.
Shrews are typical animals from central and northern Africa, or at least there is their origin because we can find them in a lot of places, especially areas near the Mediterranean Sea. Now, you may be wondering where that expression of thinking about shrews comes from, and it is because these little animals are not supposed to have anything to do with thoughts. The expression has its origins because it was common to see shrews coming out of their holes in plowed or harvested fields and farmers were distracted by looking at them. At that moment they began to say "don't stare at the shrews" as a synonym for don't get distracted from work. And, to this day, you can still hear that expression. To understand more about the behavior of certain animals, we recommend you read about the domestic animals and its relationship with humans.
3. The smallest chameleon (Brookesia micra)
The Brookesia chameleon is an inhabitant of Madagascar and is one of the smallest reptiles that exist, it does not reach 2,5 centimeters in length although its appearance is exactly the same as what we have in mind when we talk about a chameleon (except for the size of course). It is one of the smallest amniote vertebrates in the world. Its small size is due to its habitat and the effect of island dwarfism.
Insular dwarfism It's something that happens to species that live in small places like islands, and the limitation of resources causes their size to become smaller. Animal size is highly variable and can decrease or increase to adapt to their environment as each species evolves. Therefore, we find most small animals in environments that have led to that species' size decreasing. To learn more about this topic, you can read about the evolution of animals and how their environment influences their development.
4. The smallest snake (Leptotyphlops Carlae)
If it weren't for its color, we could easily confuse this snake with a spaghetti, This already tells us a lot about its size and thickness; it doesn't even reach 10 cm. It's an animal that was discovered just a few years ago, in 2008, on the island of Barbados (Caribbean).
this snake not poisonous, is grayish-brown in color, but little is known about its lifestyle. We do know that, due to its size, it feeds on small insects such as termites and ant larvae. Reptiles are a fascinating group, and if you'd like to learn more about other types of animals, we invite you to consider the types of marine animals that inhabit our oceans.
5. The smallest primate (Microcebus berthae)
The Lemur Mouse We can find it in Madagascar and nearby islets. It is considered the smallest primate in the world with a length of 5,7 to 12 centimeters. Specifically, they are from a genus of strepsirrhine primates, a name that refers to a characteristic in the nose: the nostrils are sinuous like a kind of coma.
They are a nocturnal species that lives in the safety of trees. Deforestation is precisely what has caused them to be found in danger of extinction currently. To learn more about the species facing this problem, you can consult information on the endangered animals in asia.
6. The smallest insect (Scydosella musawasensis)
This insect can measure between 0,325mm and 0,352mm length, so seeing it with the naked eye can be complicated. It is considered the smallest insect in the world and is within the Coleoptera species.
This species was discovered in 1999 where very few specimens were found due to the difficulty of seeing them as they are so small. They are insects with an elongated body like a beetle and a yellowish-brown color. If you are interested in insects, you could also research insectivorous animals and its role in the ecosystem.
7. The smallest frog (Eleutherodactylus iberia)
The Frog Mount Iberia Eleuth It is the smallest amphibian that is known, was discovered in Cuba in a mountain. Very little is known about this animal, although we do know that it is in danger of extinction because there are very few specimens and its maximum size reaches 8,5 millimeters.
8. The smallest hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae)
El bee hummingbird It is a species from Cuba and is not only the smallest hummingbird in the world but the smallest bird with a height of 5,08 centimeters and a weight of 1,8 grams. It is so small that this bird can easily be mistaken for an insect. Another interesting fact is that the eggs this bird lays are smaller than a pea. In case you want to learn about how certain animals help in the pollination, this bird is a great example.
9. The smallest seahorse (Hippocampus denise)
The Pygmy Seahorse is easy to locate among the corals of the coasts of Indonesia if you descend to a depth of between 13 and 90 meters. Its size is 16 mm what would be a human fingernail.
10. The smallest rodent (Pygmy Jerboa)
The pygmy gerbil is another tiny mammal, in this case a rodent that reaches a maximum of 8 centimeters from head to tail (and the tail is usually twice the size of the body). That size makes it the smallest rodent in the world. This tiny animal can be found in Pakistan.
