At first glance, the picture below seems like it’s of a spider or perhaps a small insect.
But if you look closer, it becomes clear that the animal in this picture is not a bug, but rather a tiny frog:
A group of scientists was recently out conducting research in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil when they heard a high-pitched chirping noise. They quickly discovered the source of the chirping was a miniscule frog.
There are several kinds of miniature frogs, aptly named “flea toadlets,” native to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. But the researchers had never seen one quite so small.
After some testing, the scientists determined that the frog was a brand-new species. They made it official by naming the frog Brachycephalus dacnis.
At only 7 millimeters in length, B. dacnis are the second-smallest vertebrates in the world — there’s one other kind of flea toadlet that’s slightly smaller.
Despite B. dacnis’ size, their skeletons are almost identical to those of common frogs. While other species of flea toadlets have few bones in their heads, B. dacnis’ heads are built just like a normal frog’s. This observation has puzzled scientists and offers them an opportunity to study how miniature skeletal systems work.