The Top 15 World’s Smallest Animals 2024 (Very Tiny Adults)

The smallest animals in the world in 2024 on this list are fascinating tiny mature animals. We are familiar with large animals of their species. On earth today, there are over 5,400 animal species; among them are these tiny creatures. These small animals have amazing sizes you need to see and learn about their fun facts.  

Here are the top 15 world's smallest animals 2024 (very tiny adults), they are,

1. Paedophryne amauensis - smallest animal in the world 
2. Paedocypris progenetica
3. Pygmy seahorse
4. Sphaerodactylus Arisae
5. Slender blind snakes
6. Kitti's hognose
7. Speckled Cape Tortoise
8. Etruscan Shrew
9. Mouse Lemur
10. Dwarf Lantern Shark
11. Bee Hummingbird
12. Marmoset Pygmy

And three more, please scroll down and keep reading!

 

 

15. Chihuahua                         

Image credit: Mark Timberlake/Unsplash

They are the smallest dog breed in the world and one of the  smallest animals in the world in 2024. They are from an ancient breed called Techichi. This dog breed is named after Mexico’s largest state, Chihuahua. From the tip of their nose to their tail end, they are just 6 inches in length. 

They have an average weight of 6 pounds. They have a spot on their head known as molera (same as the one on human babies), but theirs last for a lifetime.  Comparing their brain size to their body, they have the biggest brain than other dog breeds. This probably brings about their intelligence, they are easy to train. 

As small as they are, they can be aggressive towards strangers and other dogs. For this reason, owners are advised to socialize these dogs with people and other dogs in their early life. They have an incredible average lifespan between 14 to16 years. 

  

14. Royal Antelope                           

Image credit: Mirko Raner/Wikimedia Commons

Royal antelope is the smallest antelope found in the lowland rainforest in West Africa. Most specifically in the Guinea forest. Their size is like the size of a hare or rabbit. They have big eyes, short tails but small ears. Their legs are slender; the hind legs are longer compares to the front leg. 

The females are slightly bigger than the males. They have an average weight of 5.5 to 7 pounds (2.5 to 3 kg). From head to tail they are 40 to 50 cm in length.  Their average height, when an adult stand is 25cm. These antelopes are very shy animals that are active at dusk and probably at night. 

They feed on plants, flowers, and fruits. They are prey to big snakes and birds of prey. People also hunt on them for meat. In 1999, it was estimated that their population is over 60 thousand. Royal antelope lifespan is unknown since they are secretive in nature. 

13. Rusty Spotted Cat                    

Image credit: Abujoy/Wikimedia Commons

It is the smallest cat and of course among the smallest animals in the world in 2024.  They reside in the forest of Sri Lanka and India. They are named rusty because they have brown spots on their gray fur. They look like small leopards. 

On average, they are 30-50 cm long (about 20 inches). Their tails are generally 15 cm (6 inches) long. They can weigh between 0.9 to 1.8 kg (2-4 pounds). No matter how small these cats are, they are ferocious hunters. 

They have very sharp sight, compares to human eyes, it is 6 times more sensitive than our eyes. 

This helps them to dodge predators and it helps them to hunt on their prey as well. Sadly, on the list of IUCN, they are vulnerable due to habitat loss which causes their numbers to reduce in the wild. They have an average lifespan of ten years. 

Related article:

The Top 25 Cutest Animals In The World

12. Marmoset Pygmy                 

Marmoset Pygmies are endemic to the rainforest of North America. They are the smallest monkeys in the world and without a question, one of the world's smallest animals in 2024. They can fit into your palm. 

Their body size length ranges from 12-16 cm (4.6-6.2 inches). They have a long tail that is 17-23 cm (6.8 -9 inches) long. They have an average weight between 85-140 grams (3-5 ounces). On account of their small size, they are often prey to hawks, snakes, and cats. 

These Marmoset feed on fruit and vegetables. Male and female often pair for a lifetime. The father Marmoset often assists mothers in giving birth to their babies. Fathers also help in raising the baby. They have an average lifespan of twelve years.

11. Bee Hummingbird                   

Image credit: Cheezburger/Pinterest

The bee hummingbird is the world's smallest living bird today. They reside only in the dense forest and woodland of Cuba. They have an average length of 2.5 inches from bill to tail and their average weight is 2 grams. This bird is very small that some people mistakenly take it for an insect. 

As small as the bird is, it flaps its wings at an unbelievable rate of 80 flaps per second.  Its heart as well beat at the incredible rate of 1260 per minute. The birds have beautiful plumage that can be bluish-green, pale grey, or white in color. They feed on insects and nectar. 

They can fly at the speed of 25 to 30 mph (40 to 48 km/h). As small as they are, so also is how tiny their nest is, which is less than 1 inch in diameter. The female always lays 2 tiny eggs that are often incubated for 3 weeks. They have a farfetched lifespan of more than 6 years.

10. Dwarf Lantern Shark            

Image credit: Chip Clark/Smithsonian Institution/Wikimedia Commons

It is the smallest of all shark species and it belongs to the dogfish family. The females are a little bit bigger than the males. Dwarf Lantern Shark’s length is usually about 6-7 inches with an average weight of 0.5 ounces. They reside about 1500 feet deep in the Caribbean sea of Venezuela and Colombia coastal region. 

The sharks are brown in color with black markings. The female usually gives birth after the gestation period that can last for about or more than 10 months to 2 or 3 babies. Their population is unknown and they are often caught along with other fishes through the net. 

Another interesting fact about this shark is that it has photophores that emit light at the bottom of its body. For this reason, they are called Lantern Sharks. They feed on krill (small crustaceans that look like shrimp). Their lifespan is not known.

9. Mouse Lemur                           

Image credit: Bikeadventure at German Wikipedia

Mouse lemurs are very small among other lemurs and one of the smallest animals in the world in 2024. They are endemic to the Island of Madagascar, they live on trees. From the head to other parts of their body, their length is 2.25 to 4.75. Their tail length is usually 4.75 inches. Their average weight is 1-4 ounces. 

Lemur is from a Latin word that means ghost when translated. These animals are very active at night, because of this the Malagasy people associated them with spirit plus the fact that they also have big eyes. This is really threatening the life of mouse lemur,  in addition to habitat loss. They feed on insects, flowers, fruit, and plants.  

Related article

The Top 10 Amazing World's Largest Animals Species

8. Etruscan Shrew                       

Image credit: Trebol-a/Wikimedia Commons

It is the smallest known mammal on earth when it comes to weight. They are found in North Africa and Europe. They prefer a habitat that is covered with shrubs, that is damp and warm. They are 3 to 5 cm long with an average weight of 1.3 to 2.5 grams. 

They have protruded noses. They can eat up to their body size per day since they have rapid metabolism. They have pale dark fur but on their stomach is light grey fur. They live a solitary lifestyle, unless during the mating season that they come together. 

They do hibernate themselves during the cold periods and when there are food shortages. They are omnivores in nature; they feed on earthworms, insects larvae, small amphibians, etc. They can live up to 2 years.

7. Speckled Cape Tortoise           

Image credit: tort-time.org

It is also known as the speckled padloper or speckled tortoise. These tortoises are endemic to the forest of Western South Africa, Namibia, and Namaqualand. Their average sizes range from 6 to 10 cm (2.4 - 3.9 inches). 

They are the smallest tortoise and one of the smallest animals in the world. They are herbivores; they feed on plants such as endive and chicory. Sadly, their lives are endangered.

6. Kitti's hognose                      

Image credit: theethogram.com

Kitti's hognose is the world's smallest bat. They are found in Thailand. If you see colonies of this bat in the cave, you may think they are swamps of giant flies. They are actually mature small bats. 

They are the size of a bumblebee and for this; they are also referred to as bumblebee bats. In their colonies, they can be up to 500 bats, though there are still smaller colonies that can be just 10 to 15 bats. They are nocturnal animals and they feed on insects. 

They have tiny eyes that are majorly covered by fur. They hunt on their prey by means of echolocation, in which they make high pitch sound that bounces back from their prey. They are usually 1.1 to 1.3 inches (29-33 mm) in length with an average weight of 2 grams.

5. Slender blind snakes              

Image credit: onekindplanet.org 

They are also referred to as worm snakes and thread snakes. Though they look like worms, they do not have segmented bodies like worms. They are found in Southwest Asia, Africa, North, Central, and South America. 

They reside in various habitats, these include humid rainforests, dry deserts, damp areas, and mountainsides. They burrow in such areas to keep them cool. These snakes have tube-shaped bodies with shiny smooth scales.  

On average, they are 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) in diameter. They can be just 38 cm (15 inches) in length. The average weight of an adult is 1.4 grams (0.05 ounces). 

They are the only snake to have teeth on their lower jaw and nothing on the upper jaw. This snake tail has a sharp spine at the edge. They feed on small insects like crickets, termites, and ants.

Related article: 

The Top 67 Weirdest Animals In The World (Existing)

4. Sphaerodactylus Arisae       

Image credit: M.R.Bobadilla/Wikimedia Commons

Sphaerodactylus Arisae is the smallest reptile on earth. They are found in the rainforest of Northern Madagascar. The area that they are endemic to is known as Sorata Massif. The females are smaller than the males. 

The male usually measures 0.53 inches while the female size is around 0.35 inches. This means that the size of the animal can occupy the tip of your finger, from head to tail. Due to habitat loss, this species is been threatened, they are on the brink of extinction.

3. Pygmy seahorse                  

Image credit: Jens Petersen/Wikimedia common

They are tiny seahorses. They are hard to spot, because of their tiny size and their extreme camouflage features. Even from the picture above, you can hardly spot them, if you look at the picture very well, they are the whitish-yellow color. 

They are found at a depth close to 40 meters (131 feet) in the Indo-West Pacific. On average they are 1.4-2.7 cm (0.55-1.06 inches) in length. They are definitely one of the smallest animals in the world. 

They have two main colors, either they are yellow with orange or they are purple with pink. They decide their own color by blending well with each of their host gorgonian's colors. Pygmy seahorse feed on small crustaceans. 

They give birth to young ones like other seahorses. The pouch on their trunks helps them to continue to brood their young ones, unlike other seahorses that use their tail. Sadly, their numbers are decreasing due to ocean acidification, rising temperature, and habitat loss.

2. Paedocypris progenetica         

Image credit: budak.blogs.com

It is a tiny fish, that is found in Indonesia. The female is a little bigger than the male. The male's maximum size is 9.8 mm while the female size is 10.3 mm.

1. Paedophryne amauensis - Smallest Animal in the World 

Image credit: Tumblr

You might have asked, what is the smallest animal in the world in 2024? It is the Paedophryne amauensis, the world's smallest animal. 

Paedophryne amauensis is the smallest frog and the smallest animal with a backbone. It has a size similar to a housefly. On average, they are 0.2 inches (7.7mm) long. This frog is endemic to the rainforest of Papua New Guinea. 

They are terrestrial in nature and they prefer to stay in leaf litters. They feed on tiny invertebrates such as mites and collembolans. They make sounds at dawn that can last for 3 minutes. They are very difficult to spot because their color matches the ground. They can jump up to 30 times. That is amazing!

What is your view about the small animals in 2024 on this list? Let hear from you in the comment section below (Post a comment). Please share this article with your friends and subscribe to our mailing list. Thank you!

Opening Image Credit: Glaw et al, Scientific Reports 2021/Gizmodo.