Brookesia micra

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Brookesia micra
Brookesia micra female.jpg
Brookesia micra on a match head.jpg
Adult female in natural habitat (top), juvenile on match head (bottom)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Chamaeleonidae
Genus: Brookesia
Species:
B. micra
Binomial name
Brookesia micra
Glaw, Köhler, Townsend, & Vences, 2012
Brookesia micra distribution.png

Brookesia micra, also known as the Nosy Hara leaf chameleon is a species of chameleons from the islet of Nosy Hara in Antsiranana, Madagascar. [1] At the time of its discovery, it was the smallest known chameleon and among the smallest reptiles, until the 2021 discovery of the even smaller B. nana . Adult B. micra can grow up to 29 mm (1.1 in) in length. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

Brookesia micra was discovered and named by a team of researchers led by Frank Glaw of the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology. [3] Glaw and his colleagues have been conducting expeditions into the Malagasy forests for eight years. [4] Members of the species had previously been labelled as Brookesia sp. "Nosy Hara" in 2007 by Glaw and Vences. [2]

Etymology

The specific epithet of B. micra is a derivation of the Latin form of the Greek word "μικρός" (mikros), which means either "tiny" or "small" and refers to the small body size. [2]

Description

The males of Brookesia micra reach a maximum snout-vent length of 16 mm (0.63 in), and the total body length of both of the sexes is less than 30 mm (1.2 in), ranking it among the smallest amniote vertebrates found anywhere in the world. [2] Compared to Brookesia minima , B. micra has a shorter tail and a larger head. [2] Adults of B. micra also have orange tails, as opposed to an inconspicuous brown one. [2] The size of the lizard may be linked to its habitat, due to insular dwarfism. [5]

Distribution and habitat

Brookesia micra, together with three other species, were found in north Madagascar in 2005. [6] This species was discovered on a small, uninhabited island in the Nosy Hara archipelago off the coast of Madagascar. [7] They typically reside in leaf litter during the day, and climb up into tree branches as high as 10 cm (3.9 in) at night to sleep. [6] [8] B. micra habitats are most prevalent in areas with tsingy (i.e., limestone karst), potentially because of the moisture it provides, the protection from predators, and/or that it is the most abundant ecological feature of the area. [9] High altitudes (500-700 meters) and sloped ground (due to higher levels of water shedding) were additional features that were common in B. micra habitats, while leaf litter was not found to be a very important characteristic of their habitats. [9] B. micra lives in an area subject to illegal logging, which may make the species "sensitive to habitat destruction", according to researcher Jorn Köhler. [10] Due to the highly specific nature of B. micra's habitat, the species would be at high risk for extinction if habitat destruction were to occur.

Related Research Articles

<i>Brookesia</i> Genus of lizards

Brookesia is a genus of chameleons, lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. The genus is endemic to Madagascar. Member species range from small to very small in size, and are known collectively as leaf chameleons. Brookesia includes species considered to be the world's smallest chameleons, and are also among the smallest reptiles. Members of the genus Brookesia are largely brown, and most are essentially terrestrial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antsingy leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

The Antsingy leaf chameleon is a species of lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is also referred to as Armoured leaf chameleon.

<i>Brookesia peyrierasi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia peyrierasi is a species of diminutive chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to north-eastern Madagascar. It is known commonly as Peyrieras's pygmy chameleon, named after the herpetologist André Peyriéras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount d'Ambre leaf chameleon</span> Species of reptile

The Mount d'Ambre leaf chameleon is a diminutive chameleon from far northern Madagascar.

<i>Brookesia minima</i> Species of reptile

Brookesia minima,, is a diminutive chameleon that was regarded as the smallest lizard of the Chamaeleonidae until a smaller species, Brookesia nana, was described in 2021.

<i>Brookesia ebenaui</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia ebenaui is a chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species, which is endemic to Madagascar, can rapidly change color among various earth hues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

The brown leaf chameleon or stump-tailed chameleon is a small chameleon found along the eastern coast of Madagascar, as well as the island of Nosy Boraha. Its appearance mimics that of a dead leaf. The taxonomy is in need of revision.

<i>Brookesia stumpffi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia stumpffi, also known as the plated leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon found in some parts of Madagascar. It can be found in Nosy Bé, north-west Madagascar, Nosy Komba, and Nosy Sakatia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naturelle leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

The naturelle leaf chameleon is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It was rated as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on its Red List of Threatened Species. The species was described by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo, Charles Pierre Blanc, and Charles Domergue in 1970.

<i>Brookesia bonsi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia bonsi is a species of chameleons, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar, and was initially described by Guy A. Ramanantsoa in 1980. The International Union for Conservation of Nature ranked this species as Critically Endangered.

<i>Brookesia brygooi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia brygooi, commonly known as Brygoo's chameleon, Brygoo's pygmy chameleon, and the leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chameleonidae. The species, which is endemic to Madagascar, was first described in 1995 by Raxworthy and Nussbaum and named in compliment to French herpetologist Édouard-Raoul Brygoo.

<i>Brookesia confidens</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia confidens, also known as the leaf chameleon, is one of the world's smallest species of chameleons. It is endemic to the Ankarana Nature Reserve in Madagascar. It was first described in 2012 by F. Glaw, J. Koehler, T.M. Townsend and M. Vences.

<i>Brookesia griveaudi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia griveaudi, commonly known as the Marojejy leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to northeastern Madagascar. It was described as a species new to science by Brygoo, Blanc, and Domergue in 1974. It is listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

<i>Brookesia therezieni</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia therezieni, also known as the Perinet leaf chameleon, is a species of lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to eastern Madagascar. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classed the species as Least Concern. B. therezieni was initially described as a species new to science by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue in 1970.

<i>Brookesia thieli</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia thieli, commonly also known as Domergue's leaf chameleon or Thiel's pygmy chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to eastern Madagascar, with a type locality of Ambodimanga, Andapa. It was first described in 1969 by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue, and it was ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as "least concern". B. thieli is thought to be found over an area of 43,865 km2 (16,936 sq mi) at 875–1,200 m (2,871–3,937 ft) above sea level.

<i>Brookesia valerieae</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia valerieae is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It was first described by Raxworthy in 1991. The IUCN have classed this species as endangered, and it is affected by slash-and-burn agriculture. It is not a protected species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nosy Hara National Park</span> National park in Madagascar

Nosy Hara or Nosy Hara National Park is an uninhabited limestone islet in the Diana Region off the northwest coast of Madagascar. It is the habitat of Brookesia micra, the smallest known chameleon. Since 2007, Nosy Hara has been part of a Marine Protected Area.

<i>Brookesia desperata</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia desperata is a species of chameleons. It is endemic to Foret d'Ambre Special Reserve in north Madagascar, and is a critically endangered species due to the decline of its habitat. This decline is attributed to clearance of forest for crops, charcoal production, timber extraction, small-scale quarrying and cattle grazing. It was named desperata to provoke thought regarding the desperately threatened habitat of Madagascar's micro-endemic species. They can be found roosting above ground on small branches or leaves 5–100 cm above ground at night. B. desperata was described in 2012 by a research team led by Dr. Frank Glaw from the Zoologische Staatssammlung München.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iaraka River leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

The Iaraka River leaf chameleon, also commonly known as the mossy pygmy leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.

<i>Brookesia nana</i> Extremely small chameleon

Brookesia nana, also known as the nano-chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to montane rainforests in northern Madagascar. Described in 2021, it could represent the world's smallest reptile. Unlike some chameleons, Brookesia nana does not change colors.

References

Specific
  1. ↑ Davies, Ella (15 February 2012). "Tiny lizards found in Madagascar". BBC Nature. BBC. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Glaw, F.; Köhler, J. R.; Townsend, T. M.; Vences, M. (2012). Salamin, Nicolas (ed.). "Rivaling the World's Smallest Reptiles: Discovery of Miniaturized and Microendemic New Species of Leaf Chameleons (Brookesia) from Northern Madagascar". PLOS ONE. 7 (2): e31314. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031314 . PMC   3279364 . PMID   22348069. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ Phelan, Jessica (15 February 2012). "Brookesia micra, world's smallest chameleon, discovered in Madagascar". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  4. ↑ Zukerman, Wendy (15 February 2012). "Itsy bitsy teeny weeny chameleons". New Scientist. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  5. ↑ Mann, Adam (14 February 2012). "World's Tiniest Chameleons Found in Madagascar". Wired. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  6. 1 2 Mustain, Andrea (14 February 2012). "World's Tiniest Chameleon Discovered". Live Science. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  7. ↑ "Brookesia micra, world's smallest chameleon, discovered in Madagascar". Public Radio International. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  8. ↑ Davies, Ella (15 February 2012). "Tiny lizards found in Madagascar". BBC Nature. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  9. 1 2 Villeneuve, Andrew (2017). "Habitat Selection and Population Density of the World's Smallest Chameleon, Brookesia micra, on Nosy Hara, Madagascar". Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 12: 334–341.
  10. ↑ "World's tiniest chameleon discovered". Toronto Sun . Quebecor Media. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
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