Scientists say the newly-found frogs measure less than 9 mm, a little more than a pill

Dec 16, 2011 15:19 GMT  ·  By

Biologists have discovered two new species of the world's tiniest frogs, measuring less than 9 mm (0.31 inches), only a little more than a regular pill, in New Guinea.

It seems that the newly-found creatures are the smallest of their kind, 2 mm smaller than those previously found by researchers.

The scientists behind this unique discovery published their findings in the ZooKeys journal, Mongabay informs.

“These frogs are smaller than the other two diminutive species described when the genus was recently erected, and they represent what are currently the smallest known species of tetrapods,” reveal the researchers.

It seems that frog miniaturization is not an uncommon phenomenon, since it has been recorded in seven other cases, only in New Guinea.

Since experts have already indicated that climate change is making animals and plants shrink all across the globe, the record posed by the reduced size of these frogs could soon be beaten by other creatures.