ANIMAL KINGDOM 7 - SMALLEST AND LARGEST ORGANISMS
ANIMAL KINGDOM 7 - SMALLEST & LARGEST ORGANISMS
Smallest organisms
The smallest organisms found on Earth can be determined according to various aspects of organism size, including volume, mass, height, length, or genome size.
Given the incomplete nature of scientific knowledge, it is possible that the smallest organism is undiscovered. Furthermore, there is some debate over the definition of life, and what entities qualify as organisms; consequently the smallest known organisms (microrganisms) may be nanobes that can be 20 nanometers long.
Microorganisms
Obligate endosymbiotic bacteria
The genome of Nasuia deltocephalinicola, a symbiont of the European pest leafhopper, Macrosteles quadripunctulatus, consists of a circular chromosome of 112,031 base pairs.
The genome of Nanoarchaeum equitans is 491 Kbp nucleotides long.
Pelagibacter ubique
Pelagibacter ubique is one of the smallest known free-living bacteria, with a length of 370 to 890 nm (0.00037 to 0.00089 mm) and an average cell diameter of 120 to 200 nm (0.00012 to 0.00020 mm). They also have the smallest free-living bacterium genome: 1.3 Mbp, 1354 protein genes, 35 RNA genes. They are one of the most common and smallest organisms in the ocean, with their total weight exceeding that of all fish in the sea.
Mycoplasma genitalium
Mycoplasma genitalium, a parasitic bacterium which lives in the primate bladder, waste disposal organs, genital, and respiratory tracts, is thought to be the smallest known organism capable of independent growth and reproduction. With a size of approximately 200 to 300 nm, M. genitalium is an ultramicrobacterium, smaller than other small bacteria, including rickettsia and chlamydia. However, the vast majority of bacterial strains have not been studied, and the marine ultramicrobacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain RB2256 is reported to have passed through a 220 nm (0.00022 mm) ultrafilter. A complicating factor is nutrient-downsized bacteria, bacteria that become much smaller due to a lack of available nutrients.
Nanoarchaeum
Nanoarchaeum equitans is a species of microbe 200 to 500 nm (0.00020 to 0.00050 mm) in diameter. It was discovered in 2002 in a hydrothermal vent off the coast of Iceland by Karl Stetter. A thermophile that grows in near-boiling temperatures, Nanoarchaeum appears to be an obligatory symbiont on the archaeon Ignicoccus; it must be in contact with the host organism to survive. Guinness World Records recognizes Nanoarchaeum equitans as the smallest living organism.
Eukaryotes (Eukaryota)
Prasinophyte algae of the genus Ostreococcus are the smallest free-living eukaryote. The single cell of an Ostreococcus measures 800 nm (0.00080 mm) across.
Heliozoa
The Erebor lineage of Microheliella maris is the smallest known heliozoan with an average cell body diameter of 2.56 μm.
Viruses
Some biologists consider viruses to be non-living because they lack a cellular structure and cannot metabolize by themselves, requiring a host cell to replicate and synthesize new products. Some hold that, because viruses do have genetic material and can employ the metabolism of their host, they can be considered organisms. Also, an emerging concept that is gaining traction among some virologists is that of the virocell, in which the actual phenotype of a virus is the infected cell, and the virus particle (or virion) is merely a reproductive or dispersal stage, much like pollen or a spore.
The smallest viruses in terms of genome size are single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) viruses. Perhaps the most famous is the bacteriophage Phi-X174 with a genome size of 5,386 nucleotides.[9] However, some ssDNA viruses can be even smaller. For example, Porcine circovirus type 1 has a genome of 1,759 nucleotides[10] and a capsid diameter of 17 nm (1.7×10−5 mm).[11] As a whole, the viral family geminiviridae is about 30 nm (3.0×10−5 mm) in length. However, the two capsids making up the virus are fused; divided, the capsids would be 15 nm (1.5×10−5 mm) in length. Other environmentally characterized ssDNA viruses such as CRESS DNA viruses, among others, can have genomes that are considerably less than 2,000 nucleotides.
The smallest RNA virus in terms of genome size is phage BZ13 strain T72 at 3,393 nucleotides length.[14] Viruses using both DNA and RNA in their replication (retroviruses) range in size from 7,040 to 12,195 nucleotides.[15] The smallest double-stranded DNA viruses are the hepadnaviruses such as hepatitis B, at 3.2 kb and 42 nm (4.2×10−5 mm); parvoviruses have smaller capsids, at 18–26 nm (1.8×10−5–2.6×10−5 mm), but larger genomes, at 5 kb. It is important to consider other self-replicating genetic elements, such as obelisks, ribozymes, satelliviruses and viroids.
Animals (Animalia)
Several species of Myxozoa (obligately parasitic cnidarians) never grow larger than 20 μm (0.020 mm).[16] One of the smallest species (Myxobolus shekel) is no more than 8.5 μm (0.0085 mm) when fully grown, making it the smallest known animal.
Molluscs (Molluska)
Bivalvia
The shell of the nut clam Condylonucula maya grows 0.54 mm (0.021 in) long.
Gastropods (Gastropoda)
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The smallest water snail (of all snails) is Ammonicera minortalis in North America, originally described from Cuba. It measures 0.32 to 0.46 mm (0.013 to 0.018 in).
The smallest land snail is Acmella nana. Discovered in Borneo, and described in November 2015, it measures 0.7 mm (0.028 in).[21] The previous record was that of Angustopila dominikae from China, which was reported in September 2015. This snail measures 0.86 mm (0.034 in).
Cephalopods (CephalopoDS
Maximites was the smallest known ammonoid. Adult specimens reached only 10 mm (0.39 in) in shell diameter.[23]
Arthropods (Arthropoda)
The smallest arthropods are crustaceans in the class Tantulocarida. The single smallest species may be Tantulacus dieteri, with a total body length of only 85 micrometres (0.0033 in).[24] Another candidate is Stygotantulus stocki, with a length of 94 micrometres (0.0037 in).[25]
Arachnids (Arachnida)
- There is a debate about which spider is smallest. According to Guinness World Records, "Two contenders are from the Symphytognathidae genus Patu: males of Patu digua described in Colombia had a body length of 0.37 millimetres (0.015 inches), while the Samoan moss spider (P. marplesi) could be as small as 0.4 millimetres (0.016 inches) long."[26] Other possible smallest spider species are the Frade cave spider known as Anapistula ataecina, and the dwarf orb weaver (Anapistula caecula), the females of which are 0.43 mm (0.017 in) and 0.48 mm (0.019 in) respectively.[26] Males of both species are potentially smaller than the females, but no Anapistula ataecina or Anapistula caecula have been measured yet.[26]
- Cochlodispus minimus is the smallest mite. An adult individual measured with a body length of 79 μm (0.079 mm).[27] However, PBS claims "The tiniest mite on record is 82 microns long" but does not name a species.[28]
Insects (Insecta)
- Adult males of the parasitic wasp Dicopomorpha echmepterygis can be as small as 139 μm (0.139 mm) long, smaller than some species of protozoa (single-cell creatures); females are 40% larger.[29] Megaphragma caribea from Guadeloupe, measuring 170 μm (0.17 mm) long, is another contender for smallest known insect in the world.
- Beetles of the tribe Nanosellini are all less than 1 mm (0.039 in) long; the smallest confirmed specimen is of Scydosella musawasensis at 325 μm (0.325 mm) long; a few other nanosellines are reportedly smaller, in historical literature, but none of these records have been confirmed using accurate modern tools. These are among the tiniest non-parasitic insects.[30]
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- The western pygmy blue (Brephidium exilis) is one of the smallest butterflies in the world, with a wingspan of about 1 cm (0.39 in).[31]
Echinoderms (Echinodermata)
The smallest sea cucumber, and also the smallest echinoderm, is Psammothuria ganapati, a synaptid that lives between sand grains on the coast of India. Its maximum length is 4 mm (0.16 in).[32] [33]
Sea urchins
The smallest sea urchin, Echinocyamus scaber, has a test 6 mm (0.24 in) across.[33]
Starfish
Patiriella parvivipara is the smallest starfish, at 5 mm (0.20 in) across.[33]
Fish
- One of the smallest vertebrates and the smallest fish based on the minimum size at maturity is Paedocypris progenetica from Indonesia, with mature females measuring as little as 7.9 mm (0.31 in) in standard length.[34] This fish, a member of the carp family, has a translucent body and a head unprotected by a skeleton.
- One of the smallest fish based on the minimum size at maturity is Schindleria brevipinguis from Australia, their females reach 7 mm (0.28 in) and males 6.5 mm (0.26 in).[35] Males of S. brevipinguis have an average standard length of 7.7 mm (0.30 in); a gravid female was 8.4 mm (0.33 in).[36] This fish, a member of the goby family, differs from similar members of the group in having its first anal fin ray further forward, under dorsal fin 4.
- Male individuals of the anglerfish species Photocorynus spiniceps have been documented to be 6.2–7.3 mm (0.24–0.29 in) at maturity, and thus claimed to be a smaller species. However, these survive only by sexual parasitism and the female individuals reach the significantly larger size of 50.5 mm (1.99 in).[37][38][39][40]
Amphibians (Amphibia)
Frogs and toads (Anura)
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The smallest vertebrate (and smallest amphibian) known is Brachycephalus pulex, a Brazilian flea toad, with a minimum adult snout–vent length of 6.45 millimetres (0.254 in).[41] Brachycephalus dacnis is similarly tiny, with a minimum adult length of 6.95 millimetres (0.274 in).[42] Other very small frogs include:
- Paedophryne amauensis from Papua New Guinea, ranging in length from 7.0–8.0 mm (0.28–0.31 in), and 7.7 mm (0.30 in) on average.[43][44]
- Brachycephalus didactylus from Brazil (reported as 9.6–9.8 mm (0.38–0.39 in))
- several species of Eleutherodactylus such as E. iberia (around 10 mm (0.39 in)) and E. limbatus (8.5–12 mm (0.33–0.47 in)) and Eleutherodactylus orientalis (12.5 mm (0.49 in)) from Cuba,
- Gardiner's Frog Sechellophryne gardineri from the Seychelles (up to 11 mm (0.43 in)),
- several species of Stumpffia such as S. tridactyla (8.6–12 mm (0.34–0.47 in)) and S. pygmaea (males 10–12.5 mm (0.39–0.49 in); females: 11 mm (0.43 in)) and Wakea madinika (males: 11–13 mm (0.43–0.51 in); females: 15–16 mm (0.59–0.63 in)) from Madagascar.
The two species Microhyla borneensis (males: 10.6–13 mm (0.42–0.51 in); females: 16–19 mm (0.63–0.75 in))[45][46] and Arthroleptella rugosa (males: 11.9–14.1 mm (0.47–0.56 in); females: 15.5 mm (0.61 in)) were once the smallest known frogs from the Old World. In general these extremely small frogs occur in tropical forest and montane environments. There is relatively little data on size variation among individuals, growth from metamorphosis to adulthood or size variation among populations in these species. Additional studies and the discovery of further minute frog species are likely to change the rank order of this list.
Salamanders, newts and allies (Urodela)
The average snout-to-vent length (SVL) of several specimens of the salamander Thorius arboreus was 17 mm (0.67 in).[47]
Sauropsids (Sauropsida)
Lizards and snakes (Squamata)
- The miniature chameleon Brookesia nana, with a snout-vent length of 13.5 mm (0.53 in), may represent the smallest known lizard and smallest reptile.[48][49]
- The dwarf gecko (Sphaerodactylus ariasae) is also one of the smallest known reptile species, with a snout-vent length of 16 millimetres (0.63 in).[50] S. ariasae was first described in 2001 by the biologists Blair Hedges and Richard Thomas. This dwarf gecko lives in Jaragua National Park in the Dominican Republic and on Beata Island (Isla Beata), off the southern coast of the Dominican Republic.[51][52] A few Brookesia chameleons from Madagascar are equally small, with a reported snout-vent length of 15–18 mm (0.59–0.71 in) for male dwarf chameleons (B. minima), 14–19 mm (0.55–0.75 in) for male Mount d'Ambre leaf chameleons (B. tuberculata)[53] and 15–16 mm (0.59–0.63 in) for male B. micra,[54] though females are larger.
- One of the smallest known snakes is the recently discovered Barbados threadsnake (Leptotyphlops carlae). Adults average about 10 cm (4 in) long, which is only about twice as long as the hatchlings. The Common blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus) measures 5.1–10.2 cm (2–4 in) long, occasionally up to 15 cm (6 in) long.[55][56]
Turtles and tortoises (Testudines)
The smallest turtle is the speckled padloper tortoise (Homopus signatus) from South Africa. The males measure 6–8 cm (2.4–3.1 in), while females measure up to almost 10 cm (3.9 in).
Archosaurs (Archosauria)
Crocodiles and close relatives (Crocodylomorpha)
- The smallest extant crocodilian is the Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) from northern and central South America. It reaches up to 1.6 m (5.2 ft) in length.[58]
- Some extinct crocodylomorphs were even smaller.[59] Fully grown Bernissartia from the Early Cretaceous reached a bit more than 60 cm (24 in) in length.[60]
- The Early Cretaceous terrestrial notosuchian Malawisuchus was no more than 60 cm (24 in) long.[61] Other small notosuchians include Anatosuchus at 70 cm (28 in)[62] and herbivorous Simosuchus at 75 cm (30 in).
Pterosaurs (Pterosauria)
Nemicolopterus was the smallest pterosaur, it reached about 25 cm (9.8 in) in wingspan.[64]
Non-avian dinosaurs (Dinosauria
Sizes of non-avian dinosaurs are commonly labelled with a level of uncertainty, as the available material often (or even usually) is incomplete. The smallest known extinct non-avian dinosaur is Anchiornis, a genus of feathered dinosaur that lived in what is now China during the Late Jurassic Period 160 to 155 million years ago. Adult specimens range from 34 cm (13 in) long, and the weight has been estimated at up to 110 g (3.9 oz).[65] Parvicursor was initially seen as one of the smallest non-avian dinosaurs known from an adult specimen, at 39 cm (15 in) in length, and 162 g (5.7 oz) in weight.[66] However, in 2022 its holotype was concluded to represent a juvenile individual.[67] Epidexipteryx reached 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in) in length and 164–220 g (5.8–7.8 oz) in weight.
Birds (Aves)
- With a mass of approximately 1.95 grams (0.069 oz) and a length of 5.5 centimetres (2.2 inches), the bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is the smallest known dinosaur as well as the smallest bird species, and the smallest warm-blooded vertebrate. Called the zunzuncito in its native habitat on Cuba, it is lighter than a Canadian or U.S. penny. It is said that it is "more apt to be mistaken for a bee than a bird".[70] The bee hummingbird eats half its total body mass and drinks eight times its total body mass each day. Its nest is 3 cm (1.2 in) across.
- The smallest waterfowl is pygmy goose (Nettapus). African species reaches the average weight of about 285 grams (10.1 oz) for males and 260 grams (9.2 oz) for females and wingspans between 142 millimetres (5.6 in) and 165 millimetres (6.5 in).[71] The second smallest waterfowl is the extinct Mioquerquedula from the Miocene.[72]
- The smallest penguin species is the little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor), which stands around 30–33 cm (12–13 in) tall and weighs 1.2–1.3 kg (2.6–2.9 lb).[73]
- The smallest bird of prey is the Black-thighed falconet (Microhierax fringillarius), with a wingspan of 27–32 centimetres (11–13 in), roughly the size of a sparrow.
Non-mammalian synapsids (Synapsida)
The smallest Mesozoic mammaliaform was Hadrocodium with a skull of 1.5 cm (0.59 in) in length and a body mass of 2 g (0.071 oz).
Mammals (Mammalia)
Marsupials (Marsupialia)
The smallest marsupial is the long-tailed planigale from Australia. It has a body length of 110–130 millimetres (4.3–5.1 in) (including tail) and weighs 4.3 grams (0.15 oz) on average. The Pilbara ningaui is considered to be of similar size and weight.[76]
Shrews (Eulipotyphla)
The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), is the smallest mammal by mass, weighing about 1.8 g (0.063 oz) on average.[77] The smallest mammal that ever lived, the shrew-like Batodonoides vanhouteni, weighed 1.3 grams (0.046 oz).[78]
Bats (Chiroptera)
The Kitti's hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), also known as the bumblebee bat, from Thailand and Myanmar[79] is the smallest mammal, at 29–33 millimetres (1.1–1.3 in) in length and 2 grams (0.071 oz) in weight.
Carnivorans (Carnivora)
The smallest member of the order Carnivora is the least weasel (Mustela nivalis), with an average body length of 114–260 mm (4.5–10.2 in). It weighs between 29.5–250 g (1.04–8.82 oz) with females being lighter.
Rodents (Rodentia)
The smallest known member of the rodent order is the Baluchistan pygmy jerboa, with an average body length of 3.8 cm (1.5 in).
Primates (Primates)
The smallest member of the primate order is Madame Berthe's mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae), found in Madagascar,[83] with an average body length of 9.2 cm (3.6 in).
Cetaceans (Cetacea)
The smallest cetacean, which is also (as of 2006) the most endangered, is the vaquita, a species of porpoise. Male vaquitas grow to an average of around 135 cm (53 in); the females are slightly longer, averaging about 141 cm (56 in) in length.[84]
Plants (Plantae)
Gymnosperms (Gymnospermae)
Zamia pygmaea is a cycad found in Cuba, and the smallest known gymnosperm.[85] It grows to a height of 25 cm (10 in).
Angiosperms (Angiospermae)
Duckweeds of the genus Wolffia are the smallest angiosperms.[87] Fully grown, they measure 300 by 600 μm (0.30 by 0.60 mm) and reach a mass of just 150 μg.
Dicotyledons
The smallest known dicotyledon plant is the Himalayan dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium minutissimum). Shoots grow up to 5 mm (0.20 in) in height.
Other
Nanobes
Nanobes are thought by some scientists to be the smallest known organisms,[89] about one tenth the size of the smallest known bacteria. Nanobes, tiny filamental structures first found in some rocks and sediments, were first described in 1996 by Philippa Uwins of the University of Queensland, but it is unclear what they are, and if they are alive.[90]
Largest organisms
This article lists the largest organisms for various types of life and mostly considers extant species,[a] which found on Earth can be determined according to various aspects of an organism's size, such as: mass, volume, area, length, height, or even genome size. Some organisms group together to form a superorganism (such as ants or bees), but such are not classed as single large organisms. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest structure composed of living entities, stretching 2,000 km (1,200 mi) but contains many organisms of many types of species.
When considering singular entities, the largest organisms are clonal colonies which can spread over large areas. Pando, a clonal colony of the quaking aspen tree, is widely considered to be the largest such organism by mass.[1] Even if such colonies are excluded, trees retain their dominance of this listing, with the giant sequoia being the most massive tree.[2] In 2006, a huge clonal colony of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica was discovered south of the island of Ibiza. At 8 kilometres (5 mi) across, and estimated at 100,000 years old,[3] it may be one of the largest and oldest clonal colonies on Earth.[4][5][6]
Among animals, the largest species are all marine mammals, specifically whales. The blue whale is believed to be the largest animal to have ever lived.[7] The living land animal classification is also dominated by mammals, with the African bush elephant being the largest of these.
Plants
The largest single-stem tree by wood volume and mass is the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), native to Sierra Nevada and California; it typically grows to a height of 70–85 m (230–280 ft) and 5–7 m (16–23 ft) in diameter.
The largest organism in the world, according to mass, is the aspen tree whose colonies of clones can grow up to 8 kilometres (5 mi) in size. The largest such colony is Pando, in the Fishlake National Forest in Utah.
A form of flowering plant that far exceeds Pando as the largest organism on Earth in area and potentially also mass, is the giant marine plant, Posidonia australis, living in Shark Bay, Australia. Its length is about 180 km (112 mi) and it covers an area of 200 km2 (77 sq mi).[8][9] It is also among the oldest known clonal plants.
Another giant marine plant of the genus Posidonia, Posidonia oceanica discovered in the Mediterranean near the Balearic Islands, Spain may be the oldest living organism in the world, with an estimated age of 100,000 years.[10]
The largest individual flower in the world is Rafflesia arnoldii, while the flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world is Amorphophallus titanum. Both are native to Sumatra in Indonesia.
Green algae
Green algae are photosynthetic unicellular and multicellular green plants that are related to land plants. The thallus of the unicellular mermaid's wineglass, Acetabularia, can grow to several inches (perhaps 0.1 to 0.2 m) in length. The fronds of the similarly unicellular, and invasive Caulerpa taxifolia can grow up to a foot (0.3 m) long.[citation needed]
Animals
The largest animal currently alive is the blue whale. The maximum recorded weight was 190 tonnes (209 US tons) for a specimen measuring 27.6 metres (91 ft), whereas longer ones, up to 33 metres (108 ft), have been recorded but not weighed.[11][12][13] It is estimated that this individual could have a mass of 250 tonnes or more.[14][15][16] The longest non-colonial animal is the lion's mane jellyfish (37 m, 120 ft).[17]
In 2023, paleontologists estimated that the extinct whale Perucetus, discovered in Peru, may have outweighed the blue whale, with a mass of 85 to 340 t (94–375 short tons; 84–335 long tons).[18] However, more recent studies suggest this whale was much smaller than previous estimates putting its weight at 60 to 113 tonnes.[19] While controversial, estimates for the weight of the sauropod Bruhathkayosaurus suggest it was around 110–170 tons, with the highest estimate being 240 tons, if scaled with Patagotitan, although actual fossil remains no longer exist, and that estimation is based on described dimensions in 1987.[20] In April 2024, Ichthyotitan severnensis was established as a valid shastasaurid taxon and is considered both the largest marine reptile ever discovered and the largest macropredator ever discovered. The Lilstock specimen was estimated to be around 26 metres (85 ft) whilst the Aust specimen was an even more impressive 30 to 35 metres (98 to 115 ft) in length. Whilst no weight estimates was made as of yet, Ichthyotitan would have easily rivalled or surpassed the blue whale.[21][22] The upper estimates of weight for these prehistoric animals would have easily rivaled or exceeded the largest rorquals and sauropods.[23]
The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest living land animal. A native of various open habitats in sub-Saharan Africa, males weigh about 6.0 tonnes (13,200 lb) on average.[24] The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in Angola in 1974. It was a male measuring 10.67 metres (35.0 ft) from trunk to tail and 4.17 metres (13.7 ft) lying on its side in a projected line from the highest point of the shoulder, to the base of the forefoot, indicating a standing shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft). This male had a computed weight of 10.4 to 12.25 tonnesFungi
The largest living fungus may be a honey fungus[25] of the species Armillaria ostoyae.[26] A mushroom of this type in the Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, U.S. was found to be the largest fungal colony in the world, spanning 8.9 km2 (2,200 acres) of area.[25][27] This organism is estimated to be 2,400 years old. The fungus was written about in the April 2003 issue of the Canadian Journal of Forest Research. If this colony is considered a single organism, then it is the largest known organism in the world by area, and rivals the aspen grove "Pando" as the known organism with the highest living biomass. It is not known, however, whether it is a single organism with all parts of the mycelium connected.[27] Approximations of the land area of the Oregon "humongous fungus" are 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) (2,240 acres (910 ha), possibly weighing as much as 35,000 tons as the world's most massive living organism.[28]
A spatial genetic analysis estimated that a specimen of Armillaria ostoyae growing over 91 acres (37 ha) in northern Michigan, United States weighs 440 tons (4 x 105 kg).[29][30]
In Armillaria ostoyae, each individual mushroom (the fruiting body, similar to a flower on a plant) has only a 5 cm (2.0 in) stipe, and a pileus up to 12.5 cm (4.9 in) across. There are many other fungi which produce a larger individual size mushroom. The largest known fruiting body of a fungus is a specimen of Phellinus ellipsoideus (formerly Fomitiporia ellipsoidea) found on Hainan Island.[31] The fruiting body masses up to 500 kg (1,100 lb).[32][33]
Until P. ellipsoideus replaced it, the largest individual fruit body came from Rigidoporus ulmarius. R. ulmarius can grow up to 284 kg (626 lb), 1.66 m (5.4 ft) tall, 1.46 m (4.8 ft) across, and has a circumference of up to 4.9 m (16 ft).
Lichen
Umbilicaria mammulata is among the largest lichens in the world. The thallus of U. mammulata is usually 4 to 15 cm (1.6 to 5.9 in) in diameter, but specimens have been known to reach 63-centimetre (2.07 ft) in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
The longest lichen is Usnea longissima, which may grow to exceed 20 feet (6.1 m) in length.
Protists
(Note: the group Protista is not used in current taxonomy.)
Amoebozoans (Amoebozoa)
- Among the organisms that are not multicellular, the largest are the slime molds, such as Physarum polycephalum, some of which can reach a diameter over 30 cm (12 in).[36] These organisms are unicellular, but they are multinucleate.
Euglenozoans (Euglenozoa)
[edit]- Some euglenophytes, such as certain species of Euglena, reach lengths of 400 μm.[37]
Rhizarians (Rhizaria)
- The largest species traditionally considered protozoa are giant amoeboids like foraminiferans. One such species, the xenophyophore Syringammina fragilissima, can attain a size of 20 cm (7.9 in).
Alveolates (Alveolata)
- The largest ciliates, such as Spirostomum, can attain a length over 4 mm (0.16 in).[39]
Stramenopiles (Stramenopila)
- The largest stramenopiles are giant kelp from the northwestern Pacific. The floating stem of Macrocystis pyrifera can grow to a height of over 45 m (148 ft).[40][41]
- Macrocystis also qualifies as the largest brown alga, the largest chromist, and the largest protist generally.
Bacteria
The largest known species of bacterium is named Thiomargarita magnifica, which grows to 1 cm (0.39 in) in length,[42] making it visible to the naked eye and also about five thousand times the size of more typical bacteria.[43] BBC News described it as possessing the "size and shape of a human eyelash."[44] Science published a new paper on the bacterium on June 23, 2022.[45] According to a study coauthored by Jean-Marie Volland, a marine biologist and scientist at California's Laboratory for Research in Complex Systems, and an affiliate at the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, T. magnifica can grow up to 2 centimeters long.
- Cyanobacteria
- One of the largest "blue green algae" is Lyngbya, whose filamentous cells can be 50 μm wide.
Viruses
The largest virus on record is Megaklothovirus horridgei, with the length of 4 micrometres, comparable to the typical size of a bacterium and large enough to be seen in light microscopes. It was discovered in 2018 (being mistaken for bristles beforehand), having been found on an arrow worm in the genus Spadella.[48] Prior to this discovery, the largest virus was the peculiar virus genus Pandoravirus, which have a size of approximately 1 micrometer and whose genome contains 1,900,000 to 2,500,000 base pairs of DNA.
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