LAST UPDATED IN 29.09.2024
⋵: 'ENDEMICS'
Brazil is the world's hotspot for miniaturized Craniata, with the smallest members of Squamata, Amphibian and Actinopterigii from across continental America being endemic to Brazil. More than that, our smallest Amphibia and Actinopterigii are the smallest in the entire Western Hemisphere and are among three of their groups worldwide. The smallest Brazilian Squamata is second in New World only to some nanolizards in the Caribbean on the continent.
Actinopterigii ▸ two of the three smallest Actinipterigii are two Brazilian species from endemic genus Leptophilypnion (Eleotridae): L. fittkaui T. R. Roberts, 2013 known only from Rio Negro in Amazonas state, and L. pusillus T. R. Roberts, 2013 known only from Tapajós River in Pará state (Roberts et al., Intenational Journal of Ichthyology, 2013), with mature lengts of 9.1 to 9,3mm. Over a hundred of Neotropical fishes run as miniaturized, with mature age below 26mm (Piza et al., Neotropical Ichtyology, 2014).
Amphibia ▸ Brachycephalus pulex Napoli, Caramaschi, Cruz & Dias, 2011, found only in southern Bahia, may be even smaller, with adults measuring just 7.1 mm on average, 1 mm lesser Paedophryne amauensis from Papua New Guinea, being the smallest known vertebrate for several sources (Revista Fapesp).
Squamata ▸ smallest Squamata from Brazil and South America, possibly in mainland New World, is Coleodactylus natalensis Freire 1999 (Sphaerodactylidae), known only from remants of Atlantic Forest in Rio Grande do Norte state, NE Brazil, with males and females reach a maximum snout-vent length of 22 and 24 mm (Lisboa, Sales & Freire, Zoologia, 2012). Other species in this genus are very small, and are distributed from Venezuela, Guianas and Brazil except southern parts. Miniaturized lizards also occur in Gymnophthalmidae.
