Before that, the title of the world's smallest reptile belonged
Red-bracted thatch lizard (Sphaerodactylus ariasae).
Red-bracted lizard (Sphaerodactylus ariasae)
However, at the beginning of 2021,
It failed to retain that name.
[I want to be quiet]
In the January 28 issue of The Journal of Science Reports,
The researchers introduced the following species.
Brookesia nana (hereinafter referred to as Nana Dragon)
It's a type of chameleon.
Grows in the tropical rainforests of northern Madagascar,
Male Nana dragons were ultra-small in adulthood
From the snout to the cloaca only about 13.5 mm.
It is the smallest lizard ever found.
The smallest lizard, Brookesia nana
Female Nana dragons are larger than males,
Probably 19.2 mm.
Females are also a little larger than red-browned lizards.
Interestingly, although the Nana dragon is small,
But not all organs are small.
Both male lizards and snakes have a pair of reproductive organs called "half-penises",
i.e. two tubular genitalia,
They are placed upside down in the male,
The body is only exposed during mating.
The size of the half-penis of Nana Dragon after being extended is about 2.5 mm long,
It occupies 18.5% of the body length.
[Stunned]
It's not just Nana Dragon,
Researchers tested 52 species of chameleons,
Discovery -
Chameleons have relatively large genitalia.
Often accounts for 6.3% to 32.9% of the body,
The average is 13.1%.
When the chameleon's genitals are all turned outward, they can occupy more than 13% of the body in size.
It's not just chameleons,
There are also many other animals whose genitals account for a relatively large proportion of body length.
For example, a duck, the genitals and its body length are comparable;
Barnacles, on the other hand, can reach up to 8 times the length of the body.
barnacle
Barnacles protrude from the genitals
Barnacles can reach up to 8 times the length of the genitals
Herpetologist Mark M. Kelly of the University of Potsdam in Germany. Shetz said:
"This reveals an interesting phenomenon: the smaller the species, the larger the size of the genitals."
[Teeth]
Why?
According to Schetz,
This may be because the size of this small lizard varies greatly between the male and female sexes.
Females are much larger than males.
Nana dragons currently have only two breeds, and it is difficult to draw conclusions about the dynamics of their sexual behavior.
[Shut up]
Nana dragon is currently endangered,
The reason is unclear.
However, scientists believe that
Human activities - deforestation and agricultural development
is constantly affecting the rainforests of Madagascar,
It also affected the survival of Nana dragons.
Such little things could easily disappear from our planet forever.