Extreme miniaturization of a new amniote vertebrate and insights into the evolution of genital size in chameleons

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 2522 - 14
• Main Authors: Glaw, Frank, Köhler, Jörn, Hawlitschek, Oliver, Ratsoavina, Fanomezana M., Rakotoarison, Andolalao, Scherz, Mark D., Vences, Miguel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 28.01.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/181; 631/601; Animals; Biodiversity; Biological Evolution; Body size; Brookesia; Comparative studies; Computed tomography; Copulation; Dimorphism; Divergence; Eggs; Evolution; Female; Females; Genetic divergence; Genitalia; Genitalia - anatomy & histology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lizards - anatomy & histology; Lizards - classification; Lizards - genetics; Madagascar; Male; Males; multidisciplinary; New species; Organ Size; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Rainforests; Reptiles; rRNA 16S; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sexual dimorphism; Sexual maturity; Madagascar

Evolutionary reduction of adult body size (miniaturization) has profound consequences for organismal biology and is an important subject of evolutionary research. Based on two individuals we describe a new, extremely miniaturized chameleon, which may be the world’s smallest reptile species. The male...