Three mini frog species - tiny than a human nail - found in Madagascar

Madagascar : Three new mini frog species have been found in the Madagascar, they are believed to be the smallest frogs till date with a size smaller than a thumb nail. The researchers have given them names: Mini mum, Mini scule and Mini ature.

According to National Geographic’s Michelle Z. Donahue, the world’s smallest known frog (and vertebrate) is Paedophryne amauensis, a Papua New Guinean native measuring an average of 7.7 millimeters long, or around the size of a housefly. Comparatively, Mini mum, the tiniest of the three newly discovered species, is around 8 to 10 millimeters long. Mini ature, measuring 14.9 millimeters, is roughly the length of a microSD card.

It is always difficult to locate such tiny species and scientists pay a super attention to the sound and nature to locate such species. Successfully capturing specimens is simply the first hurdle. 

The three Mini members belong to the Microhylidae family of narrow-mouthed frogs. Found on all continents except Antarctica and Europe, according to a blog post published on Scherz’s personal website, the sizable family includes more than 650 recognized species, including 35 of the world’s 50 smallest frogs.

Mini mum, Mini scule and Mini ature all belong to the Madgascan-specific subfamily Cophylinae.