Scientists have discovered a new species of chameleon - the "nano chameleon" - that is a little smaller than the tip of a human finger • Length: only about 11 mm • The mystery: How did such a tiny species develop?
Has the tiniest chameleon been found in the world?
Photography:
Photo: GettyImages
Size does not always determine:
a new, tiny species of chameleon recently discovered in the northern part of the island of Madagascar is probably the tiniest species of reptile ever found in the world.
The new variety has been named "Brookesia nana" (Brookesia nana), or in Hebrew translation: nano chameleon.
It is such a small species of chameleon that it can sit on the tip of a human finger very comfortably, both when it comes to male and female sex.
So far, researchers have found only two details of the miniature species, but fortunately they were male and female - which made it possible to define and characterize the dwarf species.
The length of the female was 19 mm without the tail, and with the tail its length was 29 mm.
The male was even more nancy - it was only 13.5 mm long, and with the tail its length reached 22 mm.
This is a species that removed from the summit another relative named "B. tuberculate", which is half a millimeter larger.
Because these are such small details, the researchers wanted to be sure that these were adult individuals and not young individuals who would grow up, so they performed micro-CT scans on both individuals.
The scans showed that the female was indeed mature and fertile and had eggs in her womb, and at the same time the male's genitals were also identified as large and developed - which indicated that he was sexually mature.
An interesting detail is that the male's genitals are the only part of his body that is not relatively tiny.
The measurement showed that the male's penis occupies no less than 20 percent of his body, presumably in order for him to be able to mate with the females, who are significantly larger than him.
The question of why such a tiny species was created and exists in nature remains a complete mystery.
Perhaps there is here an example of a familiar biological effect called the “island effect,” in which animals captured on islands tend to develop relatively smaller body sizes.
The problem with this theory is that these chameleons were found in the mountains of the island of Madagascar - a large continental area, so that the "island effect" theory still does not explain the phenomenon.
Researchers will now have to complete the family ties and relatives of this species, to see how it fits into the overall context of chameleon-type reptiles.
The best known relative of the new chameleon is a double-sized species called B. karchei.
This species also lives in the mountains in the same place, a fact that, according to researcher Yoran Koehler, indicates that "the phenomenon of extreme minimization is typical of this species of chameleons."
Either way, researchers who have discovered the new species fear for its fate and the fact that it may be local to the area where it is located on the island: "Unfortunately the nano-chameleon habitat is under great deforestation, which could threaten them," says Oliver Holitchek, director The study.
"However, recently the area has been defined as a protected area, so there is growing hope that this definition will protect the minimal species and allow it to survive," he added with cautious optimism.