Wildlife in Egypt - Types of Egyptian Animals

Who's The Smallest Of Them All? Meet The World's Amazing Tiniest Creatures

In the 19th century, the German zoologist Christian Bergmann pondered a simple question: why are some animals so small? His answer, that a warm-blooded animal's size increases as its habitat cools, remains a rule in biology to this day.

"Bergmann pointed out that smaller species tend to live in warmer climes. This pattern is to do with surface area and volume: smaller animals lose heat faster and struggle to maintain their body temperature when it is very cold," says Dr Simon Loader, the principal curator of vertebrates at the Natural History Museum. "Whatever the reasons, these small species are fascinating," he says.

With much of life on Earth still unknown, scientists are discovering new tiny organisms every year, redefining what is considered the smallest of their kind – and some claims about who is the smallest of them all are hotly contested.

Tiny creatures can sometimes struggle to get the same conservation attention as their larger, charismatic counterparts. "The small species often get over looked or missed," says Paul Rees, a nursery manager at Kew Gardens. We asked scientists to tell us about the smallest creatures of their kind.

Brookesia nana: at less than 3cm, the world's smallest chameleon and reptile was discovered in Madagascar in 2012. Photograph: Frank Glaw/AP Smallest reptile: Brookesia nana nano-chameleon, Madagascar

First described as a species (discovered by science) in 2021, a male Brookesia nana is just 20mm (0.8in) long and is found in the rainforests of northern Madagascar. Females are larger, growing to nearly 30mm. Researchers believe the world's smallest reptile is critically endangered, found in an area that has been severely degraded by deforestation.

Despite its overall size, Brookesia nana is considered remarkable for its disproportionately large male genitals, known as hemipenes in snakes and lizards.

"The miniaturised males may need larger hemipenes to enable a better mechanical fit with larger females," says Loader.

Madagascar is famous for its small animals, including several miniaturised frogs and Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, the world's smallest primate.

A male bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) in Zapata national park, Cuba. Photograph: blickwinkel/Alamy Smallest bird: the bee hummingbird, Cuba

The bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) weighs as much as a paperclip, and measures just 5-6cm (1.9-2.3in) in length. Mainly found in dense forests and on the edge of woodlands in Cuba, its eggs are the size of a coffee bean and its wings beat 80 times a second. Due to habitat destruction on the Caribbean island, scientists are concerned about its survival.

"Its population is thought to be declining at a rate of 20-29% a decade due to forest loss and degradation, and has already disappeared from many areas where it was formerly widespread" says Dr Ian Burfield, the global science coordinator for BirdLife International.

"Like other hummingbirds, it feeds on nectar from a range of flowering plants and plays an important ecological role as a pollinator, so its decline is doubly concerning," he says.

The tiny Dicopomorpha echmepterygis parasitic wasp spends most of its life inside its host, the bark louse. Photograph: Journal of Hymenoptera Research Smallest insect: Dicopomorpha echmepterygis, a parasitic wasp, US

The world's smallest insect is so tiny that it is smaller than some single-celled organisms. As little as 0.139mm long, the US parasitic wasp spends most of its life inside its host, the bark louse.

"A species of 'fairyfly', these are tiny wasps which develop as parasitoids, with eggs laid inside the eggs of bark lice, which are not too large themselves," says Dr Gavin Broad, the principal curator of entomology at the Natural History Museum.

"One female wasp develops in the host egg, eating most of the contents, accompanied by one to three males, which lack wings, have rudimentary heads and are generally simplified as they never leave the egg; they are just there to fertilise females," Broad says.

The Paedophryne amauensis frog from New Guinea can fit comfortably on a dime. Photograph: Courtesy of Christopher Austin/Louisiana State University Smallest amphibian: Paedophryne amauensis frog, Papua New Guinea

This tiny frog is so small it does not have tadpoles. Described in 2012, the frog lives in rainforest leaf litter, feeding on ticks and mites.

"Unlike many other frogs, its life cycle does not include an aquatic tadpole stage. Instead, tiny froglets hatch directly from eggs that are laid in moist leaf litter on the forest floor," says Dr Jeff Streicher, the principal curator of herpetology at the Natural History Museum. "Adults feed on small invertebrates found in the same leaf litter. This lifestyle is common in other small frog species, which highlights the essential role that leaf litter microhabitats play in the survival of these tiny amphibians."

An Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), one of two contenders for the world's smallest mammal. Photograph: Oliver Thompson-Holmes/Alamy Smallest mammals: Etruscan shrew and the bumblebee bat

For mammals, it is hard to separate two tiny contenders. The Etruscan shrew, found across parts of Eurasia and north Africa, weighs between 1.2g and 2.7g on average. It is solitary and active mainly at night while feeding on invertebrates. The tiny shrew lives a short life, rarely surviving its second winter, says Paula Jenkins, the senior curator of mammals at the Natural History Museum.

The bumblebee, or hog-nosed, bat, is about 3cm long. Photograph: Ada Chornelia/PI School of Biological Sciences/University of Hong Kong

The other miniature mammal considered the world's smallest is the bumblebee bat, also called the hog-nosed bat, which is found in two isolated populations in Thailand and Myanmar. It also weighs about 2g, with a wingspan of up to 145mm and a body length between 29mm and 33mm.

"It roosts in extensive caves in limestone outcrops near rivers," says Jenkins. "Individuals roost separately at some distance from each other. They hunt for invertebrates in the upper canopy of the forest using echolocation to detect their prey in flight, and may also pick prey from foliage."

Wolffia globosa, the world's smallest flowering plant also produces the smallest known fruit. Photograph: frank600/Getty Images/iStockphoto Smallest flowering plant: Wolffia globosa, native to Asia but found around the world

Sometimes known as duckweed, Wolffia globosa has the fastest known growth rate of all plants and can quickly cover entire bodies of water. Despite lacking common plant organs such as leaves, roots and stems, it produces the smallest known fruit and is highly nutritious.

Tom Pickering, the senior manager of display glasshouses at Kew's Royal Botanic Gardens, says the plant is weed-like in appearance and nature. "This vigorous, free-floating aquatic plant is grown in tanks in the tropical nursery at Kew, and is globally used for animal food, medicine and food. Despite its size, Wolffia is in the same plant family as the titan arum, a flowering plant with the largest inflorescence in the world," he says.

A tiny male Photocorynus spiniceps, a deep-sea anglerfish, attached to the much larger female. Photograph: Ted Pietsch/University of Washington Smallest fish: it depends who you ask …

The title of the world's smallest fish is hotly contested. According to Guinness World Records, it is the 6.2mm male Photocorynus spiniceps, a species of deep-sea anglerfish found in the Philippine Sea that is sexually parasitic. It attaches itself to the much larger female – a trait common in anglerfish – in effect turning her into a hermaphrodite. She feeds, swims and ensures their survival – he just worries about reproduction.

But given the female Photocorynus spiniceps is several times larger than the male, other researchers say the title belongs to the Paedocypris progenetica from Sumatra, which swims around in peat bogs, growing up to 7.9mm as adults. The tiny Indonesian fish was scientifically described in 2006 and proclaimed the smallest – a claim quickly disputed by researchers who studied the anglerfish.

Blossfeldia liliputiana grows at high altitude in Bolivia and Argentina. Photograph: Fabiano Sodi/Alamy Smallest cactus: Blossfeldia liliputana, Argentina and Bolivia

The Blossfeldia liliputana's epithet comes from the word 'lilliput,' meaning tiny person or being, explains Paul Rees, a nursery manager at Kew Gardens. "It also refers to the imaginary country inhabited by tiny people in Gulliver's Travels," he notes.

Found growing on rock faces and in cracks at high altitude in Bolivia and Argentina, it can withstand extreme drought, losing up to 80% of its moisture content. Despite their versatility, the world's smallest cactus is increasingly threatened by collectors.

"Over the years this species has been desired by collectors, and due to its very slow growth rate, a number of plants have been poached from the wild. Though its wide distribution means it's listed as 'least concern', poaching remains the major threat to this species."

When Mycena subcyanocephala was photographed in Taiwan last year, it went viral on social media. Photograph: Courtesy of Chofungi/iNaturalist Smallest fungi: waiting to be discovered

After the tiny Mycena subcyanocephala was photographed in Taiwan last year and went viral on social media, some incorrectly said it was the world's smallest. However, with an estimated 2m species of fungi waiting to be discovered, there are likely many microscopic organisms waiting to be found, says Ester Gaya, the senior research leader in mycology at Kew Gardens.

"Mycena subcyanocephala is one of the smallest species of fungi in the world. Regardless of their minute size and ethereal looks, this species of fungus plays its role in the complex recycling system of nature. Mycena species are saprobes, meaning they live on decaying organisms, helping clear our woods of unwanted 'litter'."

With important roles ranging from nutrient recycling to carbon sequestration, she says: "As in all things small, it is often the coordinated work of multiple small fungi that has a large impact in our ecosystems."

This article was amended on 8 February 2024. An earlier version incorrectly said that the Brookesia nana was the size of a matchstick head.

Scientists Discover 240-million-year-old Dinosaur That Resembles A "mythical Chinese Dragon"

A team of international scientists have discovered 240-million-year-old fossils from the Triassic period in China that one scientist described as a "long and snake-like, mythical Chinese dragon."

The 16-foot-long aquatic reptile, called Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, has 32 separate neck vertebrae – an extremely long neck, according to the National Museums of Scotland, which announced the news on Friday.

The new fossil has a snake-like appearance and flippers and was found in the Guizhou Province of southern China. 

The fossil has "allowed scientists to depict the bizarre long-necked creature in full for the very first time."  Marlene Donelly via National Museums of Scotland

Dinocephalosaurus orientalis was first identified in 2003 when its skull was found, but this more complete fossil discovery has "allowed scientists to depict the bizarre long-necked creature in full for the very first time." 

"It is yet one more example of the weird and wonderful world of the Triassic that continues to baffle palaeontologists. We are certain that it will capture imaginations across the globe due to its striking appearance, reminiscent of the long and snake-like, mythical Chinese Dragon," said Nick Fraser, keeper of Natural Sciences at National Museums Scotland. 

This fossil, as well as two previously discovered embryos of a similar creature, have helped scientist learn more about this type of creature, according to the study, published by Cambridge University Press. They lived in water and likely didn't need to venture on land to lay eggs.

The largest discovered skull of a Dinocephalosaurus orientalis is about 9 inches and its largest preserved tooth is about an inch. 

The 240-million-year-old fossil is 16 feet long and has 32 separate neck vertebrae – an extremely long neck. National Museums of Scotland

While the new fossil includes a poorly preserved skull, vertebrae, ribs and preserved limbs, the tail is missing. The vertebrae are "preserved in perfect articulation."

They also found at least four fish inside the abdomen, as well as small vertebrae and a possible limb bone, which could be an embryo or the remains of a small reptile the creature ate. 

Researchers from the U.S., U.K., China and Europe have been studying this creature for 10 years. "Among all of the extraordinary finds we have made in the Triassic of Guizhou Province, Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable," said Li Chun, a professor from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology. 

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Caitlin O'Kane

Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.

'Skin' Of Ancient Reptile Was Painted On, New Research Claims

By James Ashworth

First published 16 February 2024

Preserved skin in a 280-million-year-old fossil may not be all that it seems.

New research has found that soft tissue in Tridentinosaurus antiquus is a forgery and warns against using the reptile in future research.

The importance of an ancient reptile fossil appears to be less than skin deep.

Discovered in the Alps in the 1930s, Tridentinosaurus antiquus was believed to be a rare fossil with its skin still preserved. However, a new study of the fossil suggests that it isn't skin at all – but black paint.

Rather than offering an insight into early reptiles, Tridentinosaurus is seemingly evidence of a historic forgery. While the identity of the alleged culprit isn't known, the researchers believe they carved the outline of a reptile around a few small leg bones, before painting the 'soft tissue' over the top.

While these leg bones appear to be genuine fossils, they're not well preserved enough to reveal what Tridentinosaurus actually is.

Dr Valentina Rossi, the lead author of the research published in the journal Palaeontology, says, 'Fossilised soft tissues are rare, but can reveal important biological information about a species, like its external colouration, internal anatomy and physiology.'

'We hoped that the answer to all our questions about Tridentinosaurus was right in front of us, and so we studied the fossil specimen in detail to reveal its secrets, even those that, perhaps, we did not want to know.'

Dr Marc Jones, the Natural History Museum's Curator of Fossil Reptiles, adds, 'This study highlights the importance of modern imaging techniques for carefully verifying apparent soft tissue remains in historical specimens.'

The fossil was found in the 1930s among the mountains of northern Italy. Image © elleon/Shutterstock. 

Since the discovery of Tridentinosaurus in 1931, the ancient reptile has posed a puzzle for scientists. While the fossil preserved very few bones, large parts of the animal's skin appeared to have been survived.

Though preserved soft tissues aren't unknown in fossils, with mummified dinosaurs occasionally coming to light, they are extremely rare. Tridentinosaurus was even more unusual because its skin was thought to have been preserved by carbonisation.

This is a process that normally only happens in plant fossils, where the plant's tissues are converted into a thin and fragile layer of carbon. But as Tridentinosaurus was found among carbonised plants, researchers were not immediately suspicious of its origins.

Based on its shape, Tridentinosaurus was thought to be a type of animal called a protorosaur, a very early relative of birds, crocodiles and dinosaurs. Having been kept in an Italian museum for many years, the researchers were keen to use the latest analytical techniques to see what the fossil might reveal about these animals.

In particular, being able to sample the skin could have revealed more about the ancient reptile's lifestyle and anatomy, and perhaps its relatives.

Carbonised fossils are subjected to intense pressure which leaves a remnant of their soft tissues as a layer of carbon. Image © Svitlyk/Shutterstock. 

With this in mind, the researchers took small samples of the fossil to study. The initial results were promising, revealing the presence of small scales know as osteoderms on the back of the animal. However, the other tests on Tridentinosaurus made the researchers suspicious of its soft tissue.

The team exposed Tridentinosaurus and a plant fossil found near to it to UV light, causing the outline of Tridentinosaurus' to become fluorescent while the plant stayed the same. Fossilised soft tissue doesn't normally fluoresce, but certain pigments, varnishes and glues do.

The outline was also surprisingly grainy for what was supposed to be soft tissue, while there were no chemical traces of fossilised melanin, the natural pigments that colour hair, skin and eyes. While tests on the chemical makeup of the layer were less conclusive, they were still consistent with a black paint being applied to the fossil.

As the description of the species was based on the shape of the body outline, the research calls Tridentinosaurus into doubt. The leg bones lack specific features that would separate this animal from its relatives, meaning it may not be a species in its own right.

However, as CT scans haven't been carried out on the fossil, it's possible that more helpful bones might exist under the surface of the rock. Until then, the scientists suggest that Tridentinosaurus is left out of future research on ancient reptiles.

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