World's Smallest Fish Discovered in Sumatra, Indonesia

OF MOSQUITO: Fish paedocypris progenetica is only by mosquitoes. Magnification photograph showing the fish body shape is transparent. (25) - BC / AFP

PARIS - Scientists Europe and Singapore on Wednesday announced the discovery of species of fish are believed to be the world's smallest fish. Fish by scientific name paedocypris progenetica is found in peatlands of Sumatra. Body of adult fish is only for mosquitoes.

Paedocypris progenetica the same family as carp. The inventor of this fish to publish his findings in the scientific journal Proceedings of the British edition.

Fish with transparent bodies that live in peat lands of high acid levels in Sumatra. Peatlands, which are often referred to as black water swamp''it''extraordinarily high levels of acid. Peat water pH level is only up to PH3, approximately seasam sour apples.

The scientists have to observe these animals with a special stereoscopic microscope to accurately measure the length of the fish.

The smallest adult fish caught is Paedocypris progenetica female. The length from tip of mouth to tip of tail only 7.9 mm. So, in addition to being the smallest fish, this species deserves the title as the world's smallest vertebrate. Record for the smallest fish recorded so far is the fish Trimmatom nanus dwarf, whose length is 8 mm.

The team of scientists also discovered a kind of fish, namely P. micromegethes, in Sarawak, Malaysia.

The fish was discovered by Maurice Kottelat and Tan Heok Hui, researchers at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research at the National University of Singapore.

Fins of fish are suspected to be the result of an evolutionary process as an effort to adapt to the unique environment of peatland that.