Sharks are the largest fish on Earth. One museum has the jaws of a prehistoric shark—big enough to fit eight people. Modern “tigers of the sea” aren’t far behind, with some reaching lengths of up to 30 meters (about 98 feet). You could line up 60 people shoulder to shoulder along such a shark.
But what about the smallest fish? The panda fish is no bigger than an ant. In the U.S., some fashionistas wear crystal aquarium-shaped earrings that house these tiny fish. However, there’s another little fish to consider. In the lakes of Luzon Island in the Philippines, a minuscule goby measures just 12 millimeters (about 0.5 inches) long. You could fit 15 of these tiny fish in a standard thimble.
These gobies are the smallest vertebrates on the planet.
