Charismatic megafauna like elephants, polar bears, whales and rhinos get a lot of attention. However, there are many amazing creatures on the other side of the size spectrum, from bats to birds. Let’s meet some of the world’s smaller critters.
1. Pipistrelle bat
Credit: Gilles San Martin
The common pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) is 3.5–5.2 centimetres (1.4–2.0 inches) long from heat to tail. However, the smallest bat species is the Kitti's hog-nosed bat found in Thailand and Burma, also know as the bumblebee bat.
2. Brookesia micra
Credit: Frank Glaw
This little lizard is a species of leaf chameleon and is among the smallest known reptiles. It can grow up to 29 millimetres (1.1 inches) in length. It’s found on a islet of Madagascar, and was only recently described by zoologists.
3. Baluchistan pygmy jerboa
Credit: Bell Pletsch
Also known as the dwarf three-toed jerboa, this bitty rodent is found only in the Chaghi desert region of Pakistan. The head and body of adults averages about 4.4 centimetres (1.7 inches) and the tail adds another 8 centimetres (3.1 inches).
4. Paedophryne amauensis frog
Credit: Rittermeyer et al.
There are many species of tiny tropical frogs, but the tiniest of them all may be the Paedophryne amauensis. Discovered in 2013, it is the smallest know vertebrate in the world. It’s 7.7 millimetres in length (0.3 inches) and is found in Papua New Guinea. According to the researchers who first described it, this little frog has a call that sounds similar to that of an insect.
5. Pygmy shrew
Credit: Stella N.
Isn’t this little shrew adorable? The Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) is the only shrew native to Ireland and has an average weight of 4 grams. According to International Union for Conservation of Nature, this Eurasian shrew population may suffer from habitat loss and pesticide use, but it’s not considered a threatened species.
6. Bee hummingbird
Credit: Rainer Jung
The smallest living bird is the bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae), which weighs less than a penny and lives in Cuba. Barely bigger than some insects, it dines mostly on nectar.
Top image: Kitti's hog-nosed bat, via SciTech Daily.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please adhere to proper blog etiquette when posting your comments. This blog owner will exercise his absolution discretion in allowing or rejecting any comments that are deemed seditious, defamatory, libelous, racist, vulgar, insulting, and other remarks that exhibit similar characteristics. If you insist on using anonymous comments, please write your name or other IDs at the end of your message.