The world's smallest vertebrate

A species of Brazilian frog may break the world record for its tiny size, with males averaging just over 7mm long and females 8mm long.

Brachycephalus pulex frog sitting on a 27 mm coin. Photo: Renato Gaiga

According to new research in the journal Zoologica Scripta , the Brachycephalus pulex frog may be the world's smallest frog and smallest vertebrate, IFL Science reported on February 14. The B. pulex frog is smaller than a pea, with males averaging just over 7 mm in length and females just over 8 mm.

This tiny amphibian, endemic to southern Bahia, Brazil, was first described in 2011. However, studies have been scant and its adult state has yet to be confirmed.

“Identifying the world’s smallest frog is not easy,” the team said. In the new study, they measured the body lengths of 46 B. pulex frogs and compared them to other small frog species, including the previously confirmed world record holder, Paedophryne amauensis.

The team found that some male B. pulex individuals were smaller than known P. amauensis individuals. However, data on P. amanuensis females were scarce, so they compared the size of female B. pulex frogs to the second-smallest species, P. verrucosa , and again found B. pulex to be smaller.

The team also assessed the frogs' maturity by examining their gonads and confirming that they were adults. With all of this data, they concluded that B. pulex could claim the title of world's smallest frog and vertebrate, closely followed by P. amanuensis from Papua New Guinea.

"It was very clear. These could actually be the smallest frogs in the world, which is amazing," said Dr. Mark Scherz at the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

Thu Thao (According to IFL Science )

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