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List of smallest fish
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The world's smallest fish depends on the measurement used.

Based on minimum standard length at maturity the main contenders are Paedocypris progenetica where females can reach it at 7.9 mm (0.31 in), the stout infantfish (Schindleria brevipinguis) where females reach it at 7 mm (0.28 in) and males at 6.5 mm (0.26 in), and Photocorynus spiniceps where males can reach it at 6.2 mm (0.24 in), but are attached to the far larger females. If judging smallest based on the species' maximum size (a measurement often used for fish), Paedocypris progenetica, dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka pygmaea), midget dwarfgoby (Trimmatom nanus) and the stout infantfish (Schindleria brevipinguis) are not known to exceed 11 mm (0.43 in) in standard length, and the two Leptophilypnion sleeper gobies are less than 10 mm (0.39 in). A level of uncertainty about the full size range exists for some of these, as only a few specimens have been measured.

Little or no data is available on weight of most of these, but at less than 1 milligram (0.001 g) it is likely that the stout infantfish (Schindleria brevipinguis) is the smallest if using this feature.

List of smallest fish in the world

ImageCommon NameSpeciesFamilyStandard length of smallest known mature individualMaximum known standard length
Dwarf gobyPaedocypris progeneticaCyprinidae7.9 mm (0.31 in), female1510.3 mm (0.41 in)16
Danionella translucidaCyprinidae10 mm 1715 mm18
Danionella cerebrumCyprinidae10 mm1912.6 mm20
Leptophilypnion fittkauiEleotridae?9.5 mm (0.37 in)21
Leptophilypnion pusillusEleotridae?9.1 mm (0.36 in)22
Dwarf pygmy gobyPandaka pygmaeaGobiidae9 mm (0.35 in), male2311 mm (0.43 in)24
Midget dwarfgobyTrimmatom nanusGobiidae10 mm (0.39 in)2510 mm (0.39 in)26
Photocorynus spinicepsLinophrynidae6.2 mm (0.24 in), male2750.2 mm (1.98 in), female far larger than male and species not among smallest by maximum standard length28
Stout infantfish29Schindleria brevipinguisGobiidae6.5 mm (0.26 in), male3010 mm (0.39 in)31

See also

References

  1. McGrouther, M. (15 August 2011). "What is the smallest fish?". Australian Museum. Retrieved 24 September 2017. https://australianmuseum.net.au/fwhat-is-the-smallest-fish ↩

  2. Scholastic news online:The World's Smallest Fish? by: Ezra Billinkoff- Retrieved February 3, 2006 http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=11044 ↩

  3. Eyepod.org-Worlds Smallest Fish Discovered in Acidic Swamp.New spineless species...These pages are dedicated to explorer Julie "Brook" Thornton Retrieved January 25 http://www.eyepod.org/EA-NS-3-Wrlds-SmllstFish.html ↩

  4. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Paedocypris progenetica". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  5. McGrouther, M. (15 August 2011). "What is the smallest fish?". Australian Museum. Retrieved 24 September 2017. https://australianmuseum.net.au/fwhat-is-the-smallest-fish ↩

  6. Theodore W. Pietsch (2005). "Dimorphism, parasitism, and sex revisited: modes of reproduction among deep-sea ceratioid anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes)". Ichthyological Research. 52 (3): 207–236. doi:10.1007/s10228-005-0286-2. S2CID 24768783. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

  7. Doughton, Sandi (January 31, 2001). "Catch of the day: Researcher stakes claim to tiny-fish title". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2006. /wiki/Sandi_Doughton ↩

  8. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Paedocypris progenetica". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  9. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Pandaka pygmaea". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  10. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Trimmatom nanus". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  11. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Schindleria brevipinguis". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  12. Roberts, T.R. (2013). Leptophilypnion, a new genus with two new species of tiny central Amazonian gobioid fishes (Teleostei, Eleotridae). aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 19 (2): 85–98. ↩

  13. Roberts, T.R. (2013). Leptophilypnion, a new genus with two new species of tiny central Amazonian gobioid fishes (Teleostei, Eleotridae). aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 19 (2): 85–98. ↩

  14. McGrouther, M. (15 August 2011). "What is the smallest fish?". Australian Museum. Retrieved 24 September 2017. https://australianmuseum.net.au/fwhat-is-the-smallest-fish ↩

  15. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Paedocypris progenetica". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  16. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Paedocypris progenetica". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  17. Britz, Ralf (2021). "The emerging vertebrate model species for neurophysiological studies is Danionella cerebrum, new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 18942. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-97600-0. PMC 8460714. PMID 34556691. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8460714 ↩

  18. Britz, Ralf (2021). "The emerging vertebrate model species for neurophysiological studies is Danionella cerebrum, new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 18942. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-97600-0. PMC 8460714. PMID 34556691. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8460714 ↩

  19. Britz, Ralf (2021). "The emerging vertebrate model species for neurophysiological studies is Danionella cerebrum, new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 18942. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-97600-0. PMC 8460714. PMID 34556691. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8460714 ↩

  20. Britz, Ralf (2021). "The emerging vertebrate model species for neurophysiological studies is Danionella cerebrum, new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 18942. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-97600-0. PMC 8460714. PMID 34556691. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8460714 ↩

  21. Roberts, T.R. (2013). Leptophilypnion, a new genus with two new species of tiny central Amazonian gobioid fishes (Teleostei, Eleotridae). aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 19 (2): 85–98. ↩

  22. Roberts, T.R. (2013). Leptophilypnion, a new genus with two new species of tiny central Amazonian gobioid fishes (Teleostei, Eleotridae). aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 19 (2): 85–98. ↩

  23. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Pandaka pygmaea". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  24. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Pandaka pygmaea". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  25. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Trimmatom nanus". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  26. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Trimmatom nanus". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩

  27. Theodore W. Pietsch (2005). "Dimorphism, parasitism, and sex revisited: modes of reproduction among deep-sea ceratioid anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes)". Ichthyological Research. 52 (3): 207–236. doi:10.1007/s10228-005-0286-2. S2CID 24768783. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

  28. Theodore W. Pietsch (2005). "Dimorphism, parasitism, and sex revisited: modes of reproduction among deep-sea ceratioid anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes)". Ichthyological Research. 52 (3): 207–236. doi:10.1007/s10228-005-0286-2. S2CID 24768783. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

  29. Scientists Describe the World's Smallest, Lightest Fish Retrieved September 17, 2011 http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/Releases/?releaseID=639 ↩

  30. McGrouther, M. (15 August 2011). "What is the smallest fish?". Australian Museum. Retrieved 24 September 2017. https://australianmuseum.net.au/fwhat-is-the-smallest-fish ↩

  31. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Schindleria brevipinguis". FishBase. September 2017 version. /wiki/Rainer_Froese ↩