The smallest representative of mammals. The smallest mammals in the world
The smallest mammal in the world April 28th, 2015
We continue to replenish our
Scientists believed that a mammal weighing less than 2.5 grams could not exist on the planet, because its body would not have the conditions for normal metabolism. However, back in the 19th century, from the words of the peasants of Sardinia, Italian zoologists recorded that a shrew weighing 1.2 grams lives on the island.
In our time, the German naturalist A. Gerets spent several years searching for the Lilliputian mouse. And she was lucky...
Photo 2.
... a shrew 5.7 cm long, including its tail, fell into the trap. The animal turned out to be very interesting - it sleeps only two hours a day, absorbs almost three times (and according to some sources 6 times) more food than it weighs.
The tiny animal is also called the “pygmy shrew” or “ Etruscan shrew"is the smallest mammal in the world. The body length of the shrew rarely exceeds three centimeters.
Photo 3
The Etruscan shrew moves very quickly and must catch prey every two hours - otherwise it will die of exhaustion. The shrew's main food is insects and other invertebrates (beetles, spiders, grasshoppers), although it can cope with more big catch– frogs, lizards, etc.
The polytooth resembles a mole in appearance, from which it differs in the presence of a proboscis. It can dig minks and often lives along the edges of fields, vegetable gardens, on the banks of reservoirs in Southern Europe, Africa and South-East Asia.
Photo 4.
The metabolic rate of the shrew is characterized not only by the need for a huge number food, but also the work of its cardiovascular system.
As a rule, the shrew's heartbeat reaches 1511 beats/min (25 beats/sec), and its body temperature is 37 C°. However, when the shrew falls into a temporary stupor, called torpor, its temperature drops to 12 C°. Typically, this state of the body occurs during food shortages and with the onset of cold weather. Coming out of stupor is accompanied by sharp increase heart rate - from 100 to 800−1200 per minute.
Photo 5.
These days, these exceptional creatures are endangered in some countries. This is largely due to sudden changes in climate, to which pygmy shrews are very sensitive. But to a greater extent, the destruction of their homes as a result of agricultural work leads to a decrease in the number of Etruscan shrews. This fact is even more upsetting when you consider that the shrew brings great benefits to people by destroying insect pests in their gardens, orchards and fields.
Photo 6.
Photo 7.
Photo 9.
Photo 10.
Photo 11.
Photo 12.
Photo 13.
The pygmy shrew is a special animal because it is the smallest mammal. The rodent weighs just over 1 gram!
Appearance
The tiny animal looks very cute. Polytooth looks like regular mouse, only her muzzle is more elongated, and somewhat reminiscent of a proboscis. Length large individual is 4.5 centimeters. A notable characteristic of the rodent is its heartbeat. The heart beats 25 times per second. The tail of the shrew is equal to the length of the body. The animal is covered with soft brown fur.
The tiny mouse loves warm tropical climates. The shrew inhabits the coastal zone of Portugal, Malta, France and Greece. The rodent also lives in Asian countries - India, Sri Lanka, China.
The baby prefers to hide in the cracks of rocks and old buildings. The rodent digs holes or inhabits the shelters of other animals. The shrew prefers to settle near human habitations. This tiny animal leads night look life.
Nutrition
The shrew feeds on worms and insect larvae. If the baby feels very hungry, it can feast on a small lizard or frog.
Quite difficult: different scientists have their own views on which animals belong to a certain order, superorder, clade, group and all the other complex terms that biologists use when untangling the branches of the tree of life. To make the classification a little easier, in this article you will discover an alphabetical list and characteristics of mammal orders, which most scientists agree with.
Afrosoricides and insectivores
An order of mammals formerly known as insectivores ( insectivora), has undergone great changes in Lately, splitting into two new orders: insectivores ( Eulipotyphia) and afrosoricides ( Afrosoricida). IN last category there are two very obscure creatures: bristly hedgehogs from South Africa and golden moles from Africa and Madagascar.
Common tenrec
To the squad Eulipotyphia includes hedgehogs, slittooths, shrews and moles. All members of this order (and most Afrosoricidae) are tiny, narrow-nosed, insectivorous animals with bodies covered in thick fur or spines.
Armadillos and edentates
Nine-banded armadillo
The ancestors of armadillos and edentates first arose in South America about 60 million years ago. Animals from these orders are characterized by an unusual shape of their vertebrae. Sloths, armadillos and anteaters, which belong to the superorder edentates ( Xenarthra), have the most sluggish metabolism compared to any other existing mammals. Males have internal testes.
Today, these animals are on the edge of the class of mammals, but at the time, they were among the most large organisms on Earth, as evidenced by the five-ton prehistoric sloth Megatherium, as well as the two-ton prehistoric armadillo Glyptodon.
Rodents
Spiny mouse
The largest order of mammals, consisting of more than 2,000 species, includes squirrels, dormice, mice, rats, gerbils, beavers, ground squirrels, kangaroo hoppers, porcupines, striders and many others. All these tiny, furry animals have teeth: one pair of incisors in the upper and lower jaws? And big gap(called diastema), located between the incisors and molars. The incisors grow continuously and are constantly used to grind food.
Hyraxes
Bruce's hyrax
Hyraxes are stout, short-legged, herbivorous mammals that look a bit like a cross between a domestic cat and a rabbit. There are four (according to some sources five) species of hyraxes: tree hyrax, western hyrax, Cape hyrax and Bruce hyrax, all of which are native to Africa and the Middle East.
One of the strangest features of hyraxes is their relative lack of internal temperature regulation; They are warm-blooded, like all mammals, but at night they gather in groups to keep warm, and during the day they warm up in the sun for a long time, like reptiles.
Lagomorpha
Even after centuries of study, scientists are still not sure what to do with hares, rabbits and pikas. These small mammals are similar to rodents, but have some important differences: lagomorphs have four, rather than two, incisors in the upper jaw, and they are strict vegetarians, whereas mice, rats and other rodents tend to be .
Lagomorphs can be identified by their short tails, long ears, slit-like nostrils that they can close, and (in some species) a pronounced tendency to move by jumping.
Caguanas
Malayan woolwing
Never heard of kaguans? And this is possible, because on our planet there are only two living species of woolly wings left, which live in the dense jungles of Southeast Asia. Caguans have a wide membrane of skin that connects all the limbs, tail and neck, which allows them to glide from one tree to another, a distance of about 60 m.
Oddly enough, molecular analysis has demonstrated that caguans are the closest living relatives of our own order of mammals, the primates, but their parenting behavior is most similar to marsupials!
Cetaceans
The order includes almost a hundred species and is divided into two main suborders: toothed whales (including sperm whales, beaked whales, killer whales, as well as dolphins and porpoises) and baleen whales (smooth, gray, dwarf and striped whales).
These mammals are characterized by their flipper-like forelimbs, reduced hind limbs, streamlined bodies, and a massive head that extends into a “beak.” Cetacean blood is unusually rich in hemoglobin, and this adaptation allows them to remain underwater for long periods of time.
Odd-toed ungulates
Compared to their equivalent artiodactyl cousins, they are a rare order, consisting exclusively of horses, zebras, rhinoceroses and tapirs - about 20 species in total. They are characterized by an odd number of fingers, as well as a very long intestine and a single-chamber stomach containing specialized ones that help digest tough vegetation. Oddly enough, according to molecular analysis, equid mammals may be more closely related to carnivores (order Carnivora) than to artiodactyl mammals.
Monotreme or oviparous
These are the most bizarre mammals on our planet. They include two families: platypus and echidnaidae. These females do not give birth to live young. Monotremes are also equipped with cloacae (a single opening for urination, defecation and reproduction), they are completely toothless and have electroreceptors, thanks to which they can sense weak electrical signals from afar. Scientists believe that monotremes are from an ancestor living in, which preceded the split of placentals and marsupial mammals, hence their uniqueness.
Pangolins
Steppe lizard
Also known as pangolins, pangolins have large, horny, diamond-shaped scales (made of keratin, the same protein as human hair) that overlap and cover their bodies. When these creatures are threatened by predators, they curl into tight balls, and if they feel threatened, they emit a foul-smelling liquid from their anal glands. Pangolins are native to Africa and Asia, and are almost never found in the Western Hemisphere except in zoos.
Artiodactyls
Mountain goat
They are placental mammals that have developed third and fourth toes, covered with thick horny hoofs. Even-toed ungulates include fauna such as cows, goats, deer, sheep, antelope, camels, llamas, pigs, etc., accounting for about 200 species worldwide. Almost all artiodactyls are herbivores (with the exception of omnivorous pigs and peccaries); some members of the order, like cows, goats and sheep, are ruminants (mammals equipped with additional stomachs).
Primates
It includes about 400 species and in many respects its representatives can be considered the most “advanced” mammals on the planet, especially with regard to the size of their brains. Non-human primates often form complex social units and are capable of using tools, and some species have dexterous hands and prehensile tails. There is no single feature that defines all primates as a group, but these mammals have common features, such as binocular vision, hair, limbs with five fingers, fingernails, developed cerebral hemispheres, etc.
Jumpers
Short-eared jumper
Jumpers are small, long-nosed, insectivorous mammals living in Africa. Currently, there are about 16 species of jumpers, which are grouped into 4 genera, such as: proboscis blenny, forest jumpers, long-eared jumpers and short-eared jumpers. Classification of these small mammals was the subject of discussion; in the past they were presented as close relatives of ungulate mammals, lagomorphs, insectivores and tree shrews (recent molecular evidence suggests a relationship with elephants).
Chiroptera
Spectacled flying fox
Representatives of the detachment are the only mammals, which are capable of active flight. The order Chiroptera includes about a thousand species, divided into two main suborders: Megachiroptera(mergans) and Microchiroptera(the bats).
Fruit bats also known as flying foxes, have large size body relative bats, and eat only fruits; Bats are much smaller and have a more varied diet, ranging from the blood of grazing animals, insects, and flower nectar. Most bats, and very few fruit bats, have the ability to echolocate - that is, they pick up high-frequency sounds. sound waves from environment to navigate in dark caves and tunnels.
Sirens
Semi-marine mammals known as pinnipeds (including seals, sea lions and walruses) belong to the order Carnivores (see below), but dugongs and manatees belong to their own order Sirens. The name of this unit is associated with the sirens from Greek mythology. Apparently starving Greek sailors mistook dugongs for mermaids!
Sirens are characterized by their lobed tails, almost vestigial hind limbs, and muscular forelimbs that allow them to control their bodies underwater. Modern dugongs and manatees have small size bodies, nevertheless representatives of a recently extinct family sea cows may have weighed up to 10 tons.
Marsupials
Infraclass of mammals, which, unlike placental mammals do not carry their young in the womb, but incubate them in specialized pouches after an extremely short interval of internal pregnancy. Everyone is familiar with kangaroos, koalas and wombats, but possums are also marsupials, and for millions of years the largest marsupials on Earth lived in South America.
In Australia, marsupials managed to displace placental mammals for most of the year, with the only exceptions being the jerboa mice that made their way from Southeast Asia, and the dogs, cats and livestock introduced to the continent by European settlers.
Aardvarks
Aardvark
The aardvark is the only living species in the order Aardvarks. This mammal is characterized by its long snout, arched back and coarse fur, and its diet consists mainly of ants and termites, which it preys on by tearing apart insect nests with its long claws.
Aardvarks live in forests and grasslands south of the Sahara, their range extends from southern Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope, in the south of the continent. The aardvark's closest living relatives are artiodactyls and (somewhat surprisingly) whales!
Tupaii
Indonesian tupaya
This order includes 20 species of tupai that are native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Representatives of this order are omnivores, and eat everything from insects to small animals, and flowers such as. Ironically, they have the highest brain-to-body ratio of any living mammal (including humans).
Predatory
Brown bear
Without which none documentary about nature would not be complete, is divided into two large suborders: felids and canids. Felidae include not only representatives (such as
Savannah elephant
You may be surprised to learn that all the worlds from the order are divided into only three species (or according to some sources two): African savannah elephant, African forest elephant and Indian elephant.
However, such currently rare elephants have a rich wealth, including not only their ancestors and mastodons from, but also distant relatives such as Dinotherium and Gomphotherium. In case you haven't noticed, elephants are characterized by large sizes, flexible and long ears, and tenacious trunks.
The shapes, types, colors and sizes of animals on our planet are amazing in their diversity. Their distinctive features are characteristic of each class of living beings, however, the class of mammals should be distinguished from them based on the level of development, behavioral complexity, adaptability to living conditions and highly organized nature. Representatives of this class attract Special attention humans, they occupy preferential positions among all other fauna.
It is known that the largest animals on our planet belong specifically to the class of mammals, but among them there are miniature species, which can compete in such honorary title, as the smallest mammal in the world. Their size, apparent defenselessness and fragility often become their advantage. The size of these crumbs arouses particular curiosity. Let's try to expand our knowledge about the smallest animals in the world.
One of the tiniest representatives of mammals on our planet is considered bat, the dimensions of which barely reach 3 cm, and the weight is 2 g. Some insects in comparison can seem like giants, so for such a small size this mouse is jokingly called a bumblebee.
In addition to its size, this small animal differs from other individuals of its species in the absence of a tail, swollen ears and the characteristic shape of its proboscis (similar to the snout of a domestic pig), which contributed to its specific name - pig-nosed.
Its habitat is southwest Thailand and Burma. Such mice live in small groups in limestone caves near rivers, flying out to hunt only at twilight. These little ones feed on insects and tree leaves. This species of bat, due to the constant decline in its numbers, which is the result of human activity, is in danger of extinction.
The Etruscan shrew is a voracious little predator
Like the hog-nosed bat, the Etruscan shrew can lay claim to being the smallest mammal on Earth. The animal is gray-brown in color, has several common names and is also known as the pygmy shrew, shrew or shrew. Its usual length, including the tail, which is half the length of the body, is 6 cm, and its weight is no more than 1.7 g.
The shrew looks like a long-nosed mouse, but it is not a rodent. This is a merciless and swift predator with extremely developed sensory and nervous system. Shrew – excellent hunter not thanks to accurate hearing and acute vision, but due to the presence of highly sensitive vibrissae - long hairs on the muzzle that provide high tactile sensitivity.
The shrew hunts almost constantly. When she doesn't eat, she devotes free time self-care or searching for new habitats. With furious frenzy, she attacks any prey, be it an insect or even a reptile. The predator hunts at night, reaching maximum activity at dawn, catching insects, worms, young frogs, lizards, larvae and crickets.
Despite its small size, this baby has a considerable appetite. The weight of the food she eats is twice her own weight. Huge nutritional needs are explained by accelerated metabolic processes and high energy costs, which the shrew uses when searching for food and hunting.
The habitat of the shrew is wide; it prefers territories with tropical climate, meadows, gardens, damp grassy fields, forests, where you can hide from your enemies - owls and have a fruitful hunt. Outside the breeding season, the shrew prefers to live alone.
The shrew has not been studied enough, which is due to its small size, obstinate nature, increased activity and ability to elude capture. Despite its wide range of habitats, the Etruscan shrew intrigues with its elusive character as a merciless predator, preserving the details and secrets of its lifestyle.
Mammals of the marsupial order are found in their full diversity in Australia. Each of the individuals of this order occupies its own ecological niche. The most interesting object of all the small marsupial mammals is the dwarf flying cuscus, whose dimensions are much smaller than those of its relatives.
Maximum length The body of this baby reaches 14 cm, 7 of which is the tail, body weight varies from 11 to 15 g. Externally, the animal resembles a mouse: it has a long mustache, button eyes, small ears and paws. But this is where his superficial resemblance to a mouse ends. The lifestyle of the couscous is similar to that of the flying squirrel. The animal can easily move along branches and glide from tree to tree, covering distances of up to 25 m.
Similarities in the body structure of the flying couscous and the flying squirrel:
- a dense membrane of skin (located from the wrist to the ankle, opens during flight and helps maneuver when choosing any trajectory);
- tail ( amazing structure, characteristic only for him. Due to interesting location stiff hairs, it has the appearance of a feather and helps the animal, acting as a brake or rudder during flight);
- soles of the paws (special pads that provide strong grip on any surface).
Flying couscous usually live in small groups - up to 5 individuals. The female brings 2-4 cubs weighing 18 mg, which weigh up to 2 g and carry and feed in a pouch. Then the babies move to the nests, where, having reached a weight of 8 g, they begin to lead independent life.
Dwarf couscous is nocturnal. They feed on tree pollen and nectar, although they will not refuse small animals and fruits. They are excellent pollinators, as they visit many flowering trees.
There are still many small mammals on our planet that can surprise us with their body structure and appearance, which was formed based on their living situation.
All animals living on earth are unique and inimitable in their own way. Living beings in the world are capable of striking a person not only with their unusual appearance, but also in size. For example, the smallest animals in the world can surprise not only with their miniature size, unusual shapes and some abilities, but also its toxicity.
fennec
fennec reveals the ten smallest animals that exist on Earth. This unusual and cute animal belongs to the genus of foxes. The size of a miniature animal does not exceed 40 cm in length and 20 cm at the withers. Fenech weighs on average 1 kilogram. A funny predator that feeds on carrion, insects, and bird eggs, has an incredible big ears, which allow them to catch the slightest rustle around. In addition, fennec cats are excellent jumpers: they can jump to a height of more than half a meter. Such features of the animal make it an unsurpassed predator, from which it is difficult to hide and escape. Fennecs live most often in the Sahara. Due to the small size and beautiful appearance Currently, they are increasingly being kept as pets, but such a pet will be quite expensive.
9 Star-nosed
Star-nosed not only one of the smallest, but also unusual animals in the world. Occupant North America from the mole family, it has growths on its head that resemble the shape of a star. This is where the name of the animal comes from. On average, the size of starfish is 1 decimeter in length and weighs less than 100 grams. These representatives of the mole family, like their closest relatives, live underground. Star-nosed fish are also excellent swimmers who prefer to hunt at the bottom of reservoirs, but can also obtain food on the surface of the earth. These unusual animals are characterized by monogamy: the female and male continue to live together even after the mating season.
8 The pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world
Pygmy marmoset- the smallest monkey in the world, a representative of the order of primates, whose length does not exceed 15 centimeters and body weight - 150 grams. These funny animals can be found in Brazil, Peru, Colombia along coastline rec. They rarely come down to the ground, because they prefer to spend all their time in the trees, where they get their food. Pygmy marmosets choose tree sap and fruits as food, but can also feed on spiders and insects. The life span of these animals is on average 10 years. The pygmy marmoset is perfect a pet with highly developed intelligence.
7 Brookesia minor
Brookesia minor- the smallest chameleon lizard in the world, whose body length is less than 5 centimeters. The protective function of the lizard is its color, which resembles the color of dead, fallen leaves, so most often they can be found in foliage. These chameleons feed mainly on insects and their larvae, which are found in the soil.
6 Stout Infantfish
Stout infantfish- the smallest fish in the world, which was discovered by scientists relatively recently. The animal is endemic and lives in the swamps of Sumatra. Length adult just under 1 centimeter, which allows this animal to be included in the list of the smallest.
5 Pygmy shrew
Pygmy shrew- the smallest member of the shrew family and the smallest mammal in the world. This unusual and miniature animal can be found in Southern Europe, North Africa, China and Japan. Presumably, earlier dwarf shrews also lived on the territory of Kazakhstan, since their remains were discovered during excavations. The length of the body of this animal ranges from 3-5 centimeters, and the average body weight is only 1.5 grams. Dwarf shrews choose thickets near water bodies, as well as mountain gorges, as their habitat. Also, this amazing animal can be found on plots of land cultivated by humans - gardens and vegetable gardens. They are able to dig holes on their own, but often occupy the homes of moles. Despite their tiny size, they are born predators who boldly attack not only insects, but also animals larger than their size - frogs, lizards, young rodents, etc.
4 Bee Hummingbird
hummingbird bee- the smallest bird existing in nature. The smallest representatives of this species have body sizes that do not exceed 5 centimeters in length, and their body weight averages 1.5 grams, which less weight medium ostrich feather. These winged animals are not only very small, but also incredibly beautiful. From a distance, this bird can easily be confused with an insect painted in bright, iridescent colors. The Bee Hummingbird is an endemic species that lives in Cuba. The animal got its name not only because of its small size, but also because of its food preferences - it feeds exclusively on flower nectar. Moreover, she only does this on the fly, performing up to 100 wing flaps in just 1 second!
3 Irukandji Jellyfish
Irukandji jellyfish not only very small, but also the most dangerous and poisonous animal in the world, living in the waters Pacific Ocean. The size of the Pacific inhabitant without tentacles does not exceed 2.5 centimeters. However, its thread-like and almost completely transparent tentacles can reach 1 meter. They contain a large number of highly toxic poison that can be fatal to humans. The bite of the irukandji leads to paralytic effects that include muscle pain, headaches, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and pulmonary edema.
2 Dwarf mouse lemur
Dwarf mouse lemur refers to the smallest animals in the world, whose body length is only 10 centimeters and body weight does not exceed 50 grams. This animal chose its habitat western forests Madagascar. The mouse lemur is omnivorous: its diet can include insects, spiders and small animals, as well as flower nectar, fruits and leaves. IN wildlife These animals lead a solitary lifestyle, less often living in pairs. The dwarf mouse lemur is usually active only during the rainy season; in dry weather it falls into torpor and feeds from accumulated reserves. These “freedom lovers” are not entirely suitable for keeping in captivity, as they become quite aggressive at home.
1 Seahorse Deniha
Denise's seahorse (Hippocampus denise)- the smallest sea creature water, whose body length is no more than 1.5 centimeters. This species lives seahorses in warm tropical waters Japanese islands. Your name aquatic creature received in honor of the photographer Denich Tackett, who was the first to discover and photograph this seahorse.