Brookesia minima facts for kids
The Brookesia minima, also known as the dwarf chameleon or minute leaf chameleon, is a super tiny type of chameleon. For a long time, it was thought to be the smallest lizard in the chameleon family! However, in 2021, an even smaller species called Brookesia nana was discovered.
Quick facts for kids Brookesia minima |
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_Lokobe.jpg) |
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| Lokobe Strict Reserve | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Brookesia
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| Species: |
minima
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Contents
Where Does the Dwarf Chameleon Live?
The Brookesia minima chameleon lives only on Nosy Be, a small island right off the northwest coast of Madagascar. Some have also been found in the Manongarivo Reserve on Madagascar's main island. This means they are endemic to these places, which is like saying they are native and found nowhere else in the world!
What Does the Dwarf Chameleon Look Like?
The Brookesia minima is one of the smallest lizards ever found. Like all chameleons, it has special eyes that can look in two different directions at once! It also has a tail that can grab onto branches.
Its body is usually light grey on its head, back, and tail. The tail often turns orange and then yellowish near the end. The sides of its body are brown, sometimes with dark brown spots. Its legs are mostly dark brown. If the chameleon is feeling stressed, it might show more spots. When it's calm, it's usually a uniform dark brown, with a beige area in front of its eyes.
Adult Brookesia minima have a flat head. They also have special scales above their eyes that look like small triangles. Along their back, they have two rows of tiny bumps. Sometimes, these chameleons have yellow stripes on their brownish-grey bodies.
Female dwarf chameleons can grow up to 3.4 centimeters (about 1.3 inches) long, including their tail. Males are a bit smaller, reaching about 2.8 centimeters (1.1 inches). Males are also thinner than females and have a small bulge at the base of their tails.
What Kind of Home Does It Like?
The Brookesia minima chameleon lives in the rain forests of its home island. It's quite active for a chameleon! It enjoys moving around on low branches and in the leaf litter on the forest floor.
Even though they can be a bit aggressive towards each other, many of these chameleons can live close together in the wild. Sometimes, you might find one chameleon per square meter!
How Does the Dwarf Chameleon Reproduce?
Scientists don't know exactly how often Brookesia minima chameleons lay eggs. However, when they do, a female typically lays two eggs at a time.
Other Chameleons Like It
The Brookesia minima belongs to a group of similar dwarf chameleons from Madagascar. This group includes species like B. dentata, B. tuberculata, and B. peyrierasi. New types of chameleons are still being discovered in places like the Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve!
Images for kids
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Lokobe Strict Reserve
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This tiny chameleon is hard to spot!
Photolinks
- [1] See more Brookesia minima images on Flickr!
