what is the smallest animal in the world and where would you find it?

Answer 1

"The plankton that whales live on leads us to the next question: What is the smallest animal? Plankton are very small, microscopic plants and animals. They have little or no power of locomotion and float in surface waters. They are found in fresh and salt water. Planktonic animals include protozoans. At one time protozoans were thought to be the first animals on Earth. The name protozoan comes from the Greek word protos, which means first, and zoion, which means animal. While they are often referred to as one-celled animals, they have characteristics found in both plants and animals. Most protozoans cannot be seen without a microscope. There are about 30,000 species of protozoans that have been identified so far! "

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/got_questions_large_small.html

Answer 2

First, protozoans are not animals according to biologists' classification and understanding of the tree of life.

If you want the smallest animal, it would probably be something like a tardigrade or rotifer. These are all microscopic and are found in places like the ocean, between sand or dirt grains, and in the digstive tracts of other animals.

For general info on the two I've pointed out, check out:
Tardigrades (my favorite): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade
Rotifers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotifera

Answer 3

That depends on what kind of "animal" you're referring to. There are a lot of microscopic animals, that live in dirt or in water, but if you're talking about mammals, or fish, or birds, that's different.

Answer 4

here's some links that might help.
smalest living thing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbe
smalest dog: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/natural_world/animal_extremes/smallest_dog_living_(length).aspx