Today’s post on the Worlds Smallest Reptile could have went a couple of ways since there are a few different species that share this honour. I chose the Virgin Islands Dwarf Sphaero because it sounds fun and exciting but I could have just as easily picked the Jaragua Sphaero or even the Brookesia chameleons found in Madagascar. I guess we will just have to wait for future Wild Facts to learn about the latter two species since we are heading to the British Virgin Islands to learn about the Dwarf Sphaero.

If you are not sure what a “Sphaero” is then perhaps we should refer to this animal by their other name, the Virgin Islands Dwarf Gecko. That’s right, one of the Smallest Reptiles in the World is a cute and cuddly gecko which gets to about 18 mm (0.71″) in length and weighs around 0.15 grams (0.0051 ounces). Yesterday we held a penny to understand just how heavy the Bee Hummingbird was. Today, I want you to pick up a USA or Canadian dime. Yep, the smallest reptile weighs about as much as dime. I swear, nature never ceases to amaze me!

Although, the Virgin Islands Dwarf Gecko prefers to live in the dry upland regions of their home range, they typically hang out in the cool and moist areas underneath rocks. These moist areas play a big role in the life of the Dwarf Sphaero and they would probably cease to exist if this habitat was removed. You may be wondering how a few rocks could be so important for this reptile. Well, due to the extremely small size of our little gecko, they lose water about 70% faster than the larger variety. Believe it or not, animals need water to survive and these humid, micro-habitats help keep these reptiles nice and moist. As well, the Virgin Islands Dwarf Sphaero will usually time the birth of their offspring during the wettest time of the year to help give their young a better chance for survival. For something so small, they are actually pretty intelligent.

Well, that does it for the Worlds Smallest Reptile. Make sure you tune into tomorrow for the last Wild Fact of the week.