What is a Brookesia Micra?

What is a Brookesia Micra? Where does Brookesia Micra come from? What makes Brookesia Micra different from other members of its family of species? When was Brookesia Micra discovered? It may surprise you to know that Brookesia Micra is that smallest known member of the chameleon family. It may surprise you further to know that Brookesia Micra is so small in fact that it fits atop the head of a match!

In the karstic limestone area of northern Madagascar known as Nosy Hara, a discovery has been made in the form of Brookesia Micra, a minute leaf chameleon that measures a mere 15-16mm from snout to vent. It was discovered along with three other species of Brookesia of near proportions. At first sight these creatures may appear to be a single species, however close observation and genetic testing has concluded their separate lineage through the discovery that they indeed have different external morphology and hemipenial structures.

Brookesia Micra is further characterized by having a relatively wider and taller head, as well as a shorter relative tail length to the other species.

The females are markedly larger than the males, a usual sexual dimorphism between sexes of species in general. However, the tail length between males and females has presented as indifferent.

The hemipene is without spines, papillae, paryphasmata, or calyces and displays a comb-like apical structure.