Smallest frogs ever discovered. And they are really tiny

    Not all frogs are several centimeters long: today we know that some frogs are tiny, they are on the tip of a finger: in fact, three new species, specifically called Mini, have been discovered by a research group of the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität of Munich (Germany )

    He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

    Not all frogs are several centimeters: today we know that some frogs are tiny, they sit on the tip of a finger and are so micro that their brains are the size of a pin. Three new species, specially called Mini, have been discovered by a research group of the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität of Munich (Germany).





    Mini-wounds, the name is perfect: the largest is 14 mm long, the smallest 8-11, dimensions that make them not only among the smallest frogs in the world, but also among the smallest vertebrates: there are only a handful of species of even smaller fish and frogs.

    And it is not such an easy record to achieve. In fact, among the approximately 8000 species of amphibians currently known, more than 7000 are frogs, large, medium, small. And these are tiny. Among other things, the largest, the Conraua goliath of central-western Africa, reaches dimensions of over 30 cm. It seems incredible that species of just over 1 centimeter are close relatives. And yet, once again, nature surprises us.

    Smallest frogs ever discovered. And they are really tiny

    Photo: Mark D. Scherz

    Mini mum, Mini scule, and Mini ature, these are the (decidedly ironic) names of the three newly discovered species, all live in Madagascar, the historic habitat for frogs (according to a recent research right here, about 68 million years ago, lived the devil frog, scientific name Beelzebufo ampinga, able to eat young dinosaurs).

    Smallest frogs ever discovered. And they are really tiny

    Photo: Sam Hyde Roberts

    "Yes, these are a bit whimsical - writes Mark D. Scherz, first author of the study about the names given to these frogs - and frivolity is often frowned upon in science, but it can also help make that more accessible, interesting and engaging science. This is our hope ”.


    Smallest frogs ever discovered. And they are really tiny

    Photo: Sam Hyde Roberts

    However, it is not an absolute record: currently the smallest frog in the world is Paedophryne amauensis, originally from Papua New Guinea, which does not exceed 9 mm in length when adult.


    The work was published on PLoS ONE.

    Read also:

    • This frog prefers the city male, word of science
    • Let's help Romeo: the last frog of its kind is looking for a mate

    Cover: Andolalao Rakotoarison

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