Arthur Greene
I-Brookesia nano, noma i-micro-chameleon, yaba sematheni ekuqaleni kwalenyanga ngemuva kokuthi ososayensi bememezele ukuthi yiwuhlobo oluncane kunazo zonke izilwane ezihuquzelayo ezake zatholakala e-Madagascar.
Kodwa-ke, i-Brookesias yesilisa iphinde yazithola igqama ngemuva kokuba abayitholayo baveze ukuthi iyisilwane esinenduku enkulu kakhulu.
Ubude obujwayelekile be-Brookesias yesilisa bungaphansi nje kuka-22mm ukusuka ekhaleni kuye emsileni. Izitho zayo zangasese , nokho, zingaphezu kuka-4mm ubude, ezenza u-18.5% omangalisayo wobukhulu bomzimba wayo.
Futhi kwenzeka sengathi lesi silwane besinganelisekile ngokwanele ngokuthi sibe nenye (ngokukhuluma ngokulingana) yezinduku ezinkhulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni, abacwaningi baso bathi sine “hemipenes enkulu, ebonakala ikhule ngokugcwele”.
Lokhu kusho ukuthi inezimbili zazo. Izinduku ezimbili ezinkulu.
Okuhehayo ukuthi i-Brookesia yesifazane inkulu kakhulu kunesitho sayo sangasese esilengiswe kahle, ngobude obumaphakathi cishe obungama-28.9mm.
Ososayensi bacabangele ukuthi ubukhulu obuphawulekayo balezi zilwane ezihuquzelayo kungenzeka kubangelwa “yi-island dwarfism,” inkolelo yokuthi izidalwa ezihlala eziqhingini, ezinjengase-Madagascar, zavela zabancane ukuze zimelane nokuntuleka kwezinsiza.
UDkt uMark Scherz, ongomunye wososayensi abathole lolu hlobo, ubhale ku-Twitter ukuthi yize iningi lomzimba waso singakwazi ukuzivumelanisa nemvelo yalo ngokuncipha, akuzona zonke ebezingakwazi.
“Uma esesifazane sihlala sisikhulu kunosesilisa, kunenkinga ekunciphiseni ubukhulu besitho sangasese sesesilisa.”
Ngamanye amagama, induki yaso kufanele ihlale ingosayizi othize ukuze ikwazi ukwakha ubudlelwane ngempumelelo neyesifazane.
Ubuye wengeza wathi, “Empeleni esesilisa sigibela emhlane wesesifazane aze alungele ukuya ocansini.”
Ngakho-ke uma kukhona into eyodwa okufanele siyifunde kulesi silwane esincane esixakile kungenzeka ukuthi yilokhu:
Uma uthola ukuthi unwabu oluncane luye lwangena emhlane wakho, kungcono uhlale ulungele okuthile.