Visit the gallery of tiny chameleons
German scientists have found the world’s smallest chameleon in Madagascar. It’s called Brookesia micra , and it was found in a tiny archipelago called Nosy Hara. It measures only 26 millimeters from head to tail , fits on the tip of a human finger and is brown in color , allowing it to hide in the litter during the day. And, unlike other chameleons, it doesn’t change color. Its discoverers assure that this species represents an extreme case of insular dwarfism. ? The extreme miniaturization of these reptiles could be accompanied by numerous specializations in their anatomy, which is a promising field of research ,? explains zoologist Frank Glaw, a researcher at the Brunswick Technical University and co-author of the work published in the journal PLoS One . Although what is really urgent, Glaw adds, is to put in place the necessary conservation measures so that these and other microendemic species of Madagascar that are seriously threatened by deforestation survive.
The study also reveals the discovery of other species of dwarf chameleons in different parts of Madagascar near the aforementioned archipelago. Although they are physically similar, they present great genetic differences due to having evolved in different and isolated ecosystems. This is the case of Brookesia desperata and Brookesia tristis , which have been baptized with these names to express the concern of scientists for the preservation of their habitat.
