Pablo Pérez Muñoz. 1 º B. ESO.

Which is the world´smallest vertebrate?

Paedophryne amauensis

The smallest known vertebrate is a frog the size of a housefly, as has been discovered in a recent study.

With an average of 7.7 millimeters long, the newfound Paedophryne amauensises is smaller if it fits the PAEDOCYPRIS PROGENETICA Asian fish held the record with 7.9 mm.

These discoveries have been carried out during a recent expedition in Papua New Guinea, and it also found other dwarf frogs as Paedophryne swiftorum of 8.6 mm.

                 

Feeding these animals it is based on tiny invertebrates that are ignored by larger predators.

Tiny frogs difficult to intercept

Discovered in 2010, the species of the genus Paedophyrne are exceptionally small and only live in clusters of leaves deposited on the floor of the jungle of New Guinea.

The frogs are so small that it is very difficult not only see them, but to differentiate between its color, so for them have chosen to study photographs and increase them, as if it were a microscope.

These new specimens present another problem when photographing, it is that when you put the camera in the eye have already jumped away, getting a height greater than 30 times its body.

The Mini Guinean frogs are not alone

As part of discovery, they have established a genetic comparison of tiny frogs.

It was found that small frogs have evolved independently in 11 different locations around the world; sharing a common habitat is the forest, where the skin will not be dry and nutrients are plentiful.