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The smallest animals in the world

Most of the world’s smallest animals are found in isolated places, such as Madagascar, which is an island with extraordinary biodiversity. Therefore, this is the reason why many of these species are not known. However, the ability of human beings to access the territories and the activities carried out on them are causing some of these small species to be threatened.

If you want to know which are the smallest animals in the world , continue reading this interesting AgroCorrn article and discover how some of the species seem like a miniature replica of other species of a size that may seem more normal to us.

Carp Paedocypris or Paedocypris progenetica

Deciding which is the smallest animal in the world is not an easy task, since it is a subject that puts researchers in debate. However, biologist Maurice Kottelat claimed to have found the smallest wild animal in the world. It is the Paedocypris carp ( Paedocypris progenetica ) found in the swamps of Sumatra. This species reaches 7.9 millimeters in its adult age. This species is in danger of extinction due to the destruction of the Indonesian swamps with the aim of allocating the territory for palm oil plantations.

Pygmy marmoset or Cebuella pygmaea

The pygmy marmoset ( Cebuella pygmaea ) inhabits the Amazon rainforest region and is found inhabiting the forests and rainforests of Colombia, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. This small animal measures about 35 centimeters and does not weigh more than 100 grams once it reaches adulthood. It is considered one of the smallest and most beautiful animals that we can find in the jungles.

Philippine tarsier or Carlito syrichta

The Philippine tarsier ( Carlito syrichta ) is the smallest monkey in the world , although it does not really belong to the primate family, only that scientists classified it as such by not knowing how to classify it in more detail. This bulging-eyed animal, being larger than its stomach, is nocturnal and feeds on insects. In length it measures between 7.5 centimeters and 15 centimeters without taking into account its tail.

Brookesia chameleon or Brookesia micra

The Brookesia chameleon or Brookesia micra lives in Madagascar and is considered one of the smallest reptiles in the world , as it is not even an inch long, that is, it measures less than 2.5 centimeters . It really is the same as the common chameleon, but it is tiny compared to this one.

Kitti’s hog-nosed bat or Craseonycteris thonglongyai

The position of the smallest mammal in the world is disputed between the nosed bat and the shrew ( Suncus etruscus ).

The nose bat pork Kitti or bumblebee bat or Bumblebee Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat ) is smaller in terms of size. This has a wingspan of 15 cm and can measure between 2.9 and 3.3 cm, in terms of weight, it does not usually drop below 2 grams. This mammal is found in Burma and Thailand inhabiting lime caves near river areas

Shrew or Suncus etruscus

The shrew or Suncus etruscus is the smallest mammal in terms of its weight , since, on some occasions, it falls below 2 grams , and measures between 3.6 and 5.3 cm, thus being larger than the nosed bat. The shrew is native to central and northern Africa, although it spreads throughout the Mediterranean Sea area.

Leptotyphlops Carlae

It is the smallest snake , being thin as a spaghetti. The Leptotyphlops carlae snake was found for the first time in 2008 on the island of Barbados and its diet is based on the ingestion of insects, such as ant larvae.

Scydosella musawasensis

If you wonder which are the smallest insects in the world , take note that within this group is the beetle of the species Scydosella musawasensis measuring only 0.325 mm in length.

Here you can learn about what are coleopterans, their characteristics, types and examples .

Mouse lemur or Microcebus berthae

This Madagascar primate is the smallest in the world averaging 2.25 to 4.75 inches or 5.7 to 12 centimeters . The lemurs mice or Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur are nocturnal and live in trees, currently in danger of extinction because of deforestation .

Bee hummingbird or Mellisuga helenae

The male of this species of hummingbird native to Cuba, is classified as the smallest bird in the world weighing only 1.8 grams and measuring 2 inches or 5.08 centimeters approximately. The size of the bee hummingbird or Mellisuga helenae makes it possible to be mistaken for an insect and its eggs are tiny, smaller than a pea or small coffee beans.

Mount Iberia Eleuth frog or Eleutherodactylus iberia

This small amphibian was discovered on a mountain in Cuba and does not reach 8.5 mm . There is not much information about the Monte Iberia Eleuth or Eleutherodactylus iberia frog , but the fact that it is critically endangered is a reality.

Pygmy seahorse or Hippocampus denise

The pygmy seahorses or Hippocampus denise are normally corals inhabiting the Indonesian coast at depths of minimum 13 meters and maximum 90 meters. This animal measures approximately 16 mm, not being larger than the nail of a human being.

Spotted turtle or Homopus signatus

The turtle stained or Homopus signatus are African turtles, specifically in South Africa and southern Namibia. This species is one of the smallest among reptiles , since it can only measure 10 cm and reach a weight of 140 grams.

Pygmy gerbil or Pygmy Jerboa

In this position on the list of smallest animals we find another tiny mammal. The pygmy gerbil or Pygmy Jerboa is an endemic species of Pakistan listed in 2010 as the smallest rodent in the world with an average length of 8 cm measuring from head to entire tail.

White spider or Polyphagotarsonemus

Until now we have not mentioned any arachnids, but it is clear that in the world of spiders and other arachnids there are thousands of small and even tiny species. One of the examples is the species known as the white mite, white spider, or Polyphagotarsonemus . Male white spiders are slightly smaller than females, since they are between 0.2 and 0.3 mm in size .

Maria Anderson
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Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.

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