The Flea Toad May be the Tiniest Vertebrate on Earth
A group of biologists from Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz in Brazil has confirmed that the Brachycephalus pulex, commonly known as the Brazilian flea toad, found exclusively in southern Brazil, holds the title of the world’s smallest amphibian and vertebrate. Their findings are published in the journal Zoologica Scripta.
In 2011, researchers initially encountered the diminutive frog. The team’s exploration indicated that the frog inhabits only a handful of hills in a specific area of Bahia, Brazil’s southern region. At that time, scientists classified the creature as a toad, leading to its name.
In the recent study, the researchers revisited the original discovery site, capturing and releasing several additional specimens after ensuring they were fully grown by examining their gonads and vocal slits. Once maturity was confirmed, the researchers measured the body length of each specimen.
Unveiling the Remarkable Size of the Brazilian Flea Toad
Analysis of 46 specimens revealed that adult males averaged slightly over 7 millimeters in body length, making them smaller than a pea—approximately two could fit comfortably on a pinky fingernail. Females were slightly longer on average by 1 millimeter. Notably, the smallest specimen measured a mere 6.45 millimeters, approximately 30% smaller than the previously known tiniest frog.
The discovery marks the smallest known vertebrate, although it may not be the absolute smallest. The researchers propose the existence of potentially smaller creatures yet to be discovered and researched. They also highlight the likelihood of inherent limitations—many tiny frogs exhibit peculiar traits, such as reduced toes or underdeveloped ears, indicating that frogs smaller than the observed ones may struggle to survive.
Read the original article on: Phys Org
