Which animal is small yet strong?

Answer 1

<p>

This is an interesting question because small animals appear to be stronger than large animals for example an ant can carry several times its bodyweight. This apparent phenomenon may be explained by the effects of scale. A good introduction to the subject may be obtained by reading Knut Schmidt Neilsen's book "Scaling: why animal size is so important". As animals get bigger the rate of increase of their strengh is less than the rate of increase of their mass and so they become systematically less effective at accelerating body parts (this includes atanding and carrying as in this context that may be interpreted opposing the acceleration due to gravity.

Once one has corrected for the systematic effects of size it is possible to evaluate relative strength. 'Stength' in terms of the force muscle can exert is proportional to the cross section area of muscle (Close 1972). And so one way of answering the question would be simply to say that animals with relatively greater muscle coss section area (for compaable joints) are stronger regardless of size.

There are however three additional factors that must be considered

(1) the effect of levers: Refer elsewhere for the principles of levers but basically, muscles connect to rigid mechanisms eg bones and joint which can amplify force depending on where the muscle is attached relative to the where the force is applied.

(2) the force per unit cross section area varies for muscles of different types, amongst mammals this might be disregarded but I assume when you refer to 'smallest animal' you include insects and smaller organisms.

(3) the effect of biological springs which can act as power amplifiers. This is a rather subtle point because springs don;t amplify force but they allow higher force to be produced at faster speeds than muscle.

The best answer to your question is probably that any animal with disproprotionally large muscles or a limb mechanisms that corfers a large mechanical advantage is likely to be disproportionally strong.

Answer 2

well many animals are small and it depends on just how small "small" is:

plankton

mice

rats

many fish

hamsters

Answer 3

Rhinoceros Beetle