Some animals are so rare or elusive that we might not have a clear idea of how big or small they actually are in reality. Here are 7 animals that are smaller than you think.
1. Bumblebee Bat
The bumblebee bat, also known as Kitti’s hog-nosed bat ( Craseonycteris thonglongyai ), is the smallest bat and one of the smallest mammals in the world. It has a body length of about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) and a weight of about 2 grams (0.07 ounces). It has a reddish-brown or gray fur, a pig-like snout, and large ears. It lives in limestone caves in Thailand and Myanmar and feeds on insects.
2. Pygmy Seahorse
The pygmy seahorse ( Hippocampus bargibanti ) is one of the smallest seahorses in the world. It has a body length of about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) and a weight of about 1 gram (0.04 ounces). It has a pink or yellow coloration with red tubercles that help it camouflage among the coral polyps it lives on. It is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region and feeds on plankton.
3. Brookesia Micra
The Brookesia micra ( Brookesia micra ) is one of the smallest chameleons and one of the smallest reptiles in the world. It has a body length of about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) and a weight of about 0.2 grams (0.007 ounces). It has a brown or gray coloration with dark spots and stripes. It lives on leaf litter in the forests of Madagascar and feeds on small insects.
4. Paedophryne Amauensis
The Paedophryne amauensis ( Paedophryne amauensis ) is the smallest frog and the smallest vertebrate in the world. It has a body length of about 7 millimeters (0.28 inches) and a weight of about 0.01 grams (0.0004 ounces). It has a brown or gray coloration with dark markings. It lives on the forest floor in Papua New Guinea and feeds on small insects.
5. Dwarf Lantern Shark
The dwarf lantern shark ( Etmopterus perryi ) is the smallest shark and one of the smallest fish in the world. It has a body length of about 20 centimeters (8 inches) and a weight of about 0.5 kilograms (1 pound). It has a black or brown coloration with light-emitting organs that help it camouflage in the deep sea. It lives in the Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of Colombia and Venezuela and feeds on crustaceans and small fish.
6. Slender Blind Snakes
The slender blind snakes, also known as thread snakes or worm snakes ( Leptotyphlopidae ), are the smallest snakes in the world. They have an average body length of about 10 centimeters (4 inches) and a weight of about 0.6 grams (0.02 ounces). They have a cylindrical body, no eyes, and a sharp tail tip that helps them burrow into the soil. They live in tropical and subtropical regions around the world and feed on ants, termites, and their larvae.
7. Bee Hummingbird
The bee hummingbird ( Mellisuga helenae ) is the smallest bird and the smallest warm-blooded vertebrate in the world. It has a body length of about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) and a weight of about 2 grams (0.07 ounces). It has a metallic green or blue coloration with a red throat patch in males and a white belly in females. It lives in Cuba and nearby islands and feeds on nectar and small insects.
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