The fascinating world of animals never fails to amaze me. Their appearances and sounds sometimes make them even seem unreal.
What fascinates me even more are creatures so tiny they could fit in the palm of your hand. Some are so small they are almost impossible to discover.
I’m sure being this size isn’t easy. Just imagine what we look like from their perspective, probably like real-life Godzillas.
1. Bee Hummingbird
Can you imagine a bird so tiny that it reaches mostly 2-3 inches in length? Neither can I, but these are real!
Weighing no more than a dime, these are considered to be the smallest living birds.
And here’s the kicker, their eggs are about the size of a coffee bean.
Enjoying its life in the Carribean, these birds feed on the nectar of flowers and bugs. Although miniature, I’m pretty sure they keep the Caribbean pirates under control.
2. Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat
No matter if they are tiny or regular sized, these creatures freak me out!
Regardless of that, being 1.3 inches long makes them a must-have on this list.
Freakishly small, probably being the world’s smallest mammals. Not only the smallest, but also among the rarest bat species.
They can only be found in caves in Thailand and Myanmar, surviving on hunting flies and other small insects.
3. Brookesia Nana
Many call it the nano chameleon, which makes total sense!
Unlike many of its relatives, this chameleon does not change colors, but has other cool party tricks. Like being one of the world’s smallest reptiles.
This creature is considered roughly the size of a sunflower seed. Most males can reach the size of 0.87 inches, while females are slightly longer, around 1.1 inches. Can you imagine that?
The discovery of this creature is fairly fresh, therefore not too many facts about it are known.
4. Jaragua Gecko
Look at this creature! The Jaragua Gecko, world’s smallest known reptile.
You won’t believe this part: being only 0.55 – 0.71 inches long, this creature easily fits on a 25 cent coin. Can you imagine that?
This lizard is one among many soft skinned and insect eating-lizards, known as Caribbean geckos. It is unknown how many lizards of this species exist in the world.
Its size does make it vulnerable to become lunch for those bigger creatures. Yikes!
5. Fairyfly
Are you ready? Here comes the world’s smallest known insect. This teeny-tiny creature measures from 0.020 to 0.039 inches in length..
Also known as the Mymaridae, they can be found in subtropical and tropical regions. Their bodies are usually black, brown or yellow, with their wings looking like hairy antennas.
Oh, and another thing, their adult lifespan is very short, they usually live only a few days.
As if the ones’ we can easily see don’t scare me enough, now I have to think about these ones too.
6. New Guinea Amau Frog
This poor guy is only 0.27 inches long. Just imagine that, a frog the size of a housefly!
As their name suggests, these live on New Guinea’s rain forest floor. Their diet consists of ants and other small insects.
And if you wonder how scientists even find them – they locate them by listening for their calls. That makes this job no easier, because their high pitched calls are hard to hear.
The cool part is that these frogs can jump 30 times longer than their body size. Impressive!