VOA慢速英语--新发现的“纳米变色龙”可能是世界上最小的爬行动物

The island nation of Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa, may be home to the smallest kind of reptile¹ in the world. The chameleon², at only 13-and-one-half millimeters long, could fit on the end of your finger.

The new species was given the scientific name Brookesia nana, but it is also called the nano-chameleon. It appears to have broken the old record for reptile size by 1.5 millimeters.

A Madagascar nature guide discovered two of the animals, a female and male, on a mountainside in 2012. Researchers from Madagascar and Germany began studying the animals. The female was larger. Tests showed she was an adult carrying two eggs.

The team's findings appeared in the publication Scientific Reports.

German scientist Frank Glaw, the lead researcher on the team, is an expert on amphibians³ and reptiles⁴ of Madagascar.

He said these new lizards⁵ are so small "you really have to get down on your knees to find them."

Like other chameleons⁶, they can hide by changing their appearance to blend with their environment. Glaw also noted⁷ that the nano-chameleon moves very slowly.

Among the more surprising discoveries is the size of the male's reproductive organs, which make up 20 percent of the animal's body size. The researchers think this quality may assist its mating efforts with the larger female of the species.

Researchers are searching for other Brookesia nana on Madagascar. They say the nano-chameleon lives in a forest area of Madagascar that humans are cutting down for agriculture space and wood.

However, team researcher Oliver Hawlitschek said the area has recently been named as a protected space. "Hopefully, that will enable this tiny new chameleon to survive," he said.

Words in This Story

species- n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus

blend in - v. to look like what is around you

1 reptile   

n.爬行动物；两栖动物

参考例句：

• The frog is not a true reptile.青蛙并非真正的爬行动物。
• So you should not be surprised to see someone keep a reptile as a pet.所以，你不必惊奇有人养了一只爬行动物作为宠物。

2 chameleon   

n.变色龙，蜥蜴；善变之人

参考例句：

• The chameleon changes colour to match its surroundings.变色龙变换颜色以适应环境。
• The chameleon can take on the colour of its background.变色龙可呈现出与其背景相同的颜色。

3 amphibians   

两栖动物( amphibian的名词复数 )； 水陆两用车； 水旱两生植物； 水陆两用飞行器

参考例句：

• The skin of amphibians is permeable to water. 两栖动物的皮肤是透水的。
• Two amphibians ferry them out over the sands. 两辆水陆两用车把他们渡过沙滩。

4 reptiles   

n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 lizards   

n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nothing lives in Pompeii except crickets and beetles and lizards. 在庞培城里除了蟋蟀、甲壳虫和蜥蜴外，没有别的生物。 来自辞典例句
• Can lizards reproduce their tails? 蜥蜴的尾巴断了以后能再生吗？ 来自辞典例句

6 chameleons   

n.变色蜥蜴，变色龙( chameleon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Insects, birds and baby rats are the main food of chameleons. 昆虫、小鸟和幼鼠等是避役主要的食物。 来自互联网
• A bronze chariot ridden by chameleons radiating flaring lights. 一辆被燃烧的蜥蜴覆盖的青铜战车。 来自互联网

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。