# What is the smallest animal that farts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2023, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287 "2023-11-17T11:20:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/1 "2023-11-17T11:20:58Z")
A year ago, this question was asked: > [@Do lizards fart?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lizards-fart/975432): > > And do all animals with a digestive tube pass gas? I am asking this as something of a followup question. (For the purpose of discussion, we’ll define a fart as a burst of gas expelled from the far end of the digestive system, whether or not said gas is explicitly generated as a by-product of digestion.) Apparently, arthropods like cockroaches and millipedes are known to fart: > **[Farts: which animals do, which don’t, and why](https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/4/3/17188186/does-it-fart-book-animal-farts-dinosaur-farts)** > > Farting across the animal kingdom is wonderfully diverse, a new book explains. > **[7 Fast Facts About Animal Farting](https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/538743/facts-about-animal-farts)** > > Farts really can be deadly. In fact, per the articles (both adapted from the same book), lacewings use farts offensively, farting on prey insects to stun them for consumption. And not all animals with digestive systems fart, either — many fish fart, but octopuses don’t. Neither do sloths, or birds in general. So it’s not a universal phenomenon. So … given this background, can we identify the smallest critter on Earth, defined either by mass or by physical dimensions, which can be said to fart? P.S. An informational footnote, a fact I uncovered while googling this question — evidently sea lions have the stinkiest farts in nature: > **[This Little Fella Has The Most Revolting Farts In The Animal Kingdom](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/animal-revolting-farts_n_57059458e4b053766188b568)** > > Here's an aspect of being a zookeeper we hadn't thought through. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/2 "2023-11-17T12:00:43Z")
Tardigrades are one of the smallest types of multicellular animals that have a digestive tract. I can’t find anything definitive on whether or not they fart, but the concept has been contemplated. > **[Amazon.com: Tardigrade Fartigrade Farting Water Bear Rainbow Fart Humor T-Shirt...](https://www.amazon.com/Tardigrade-Fartigrade-Farting-Rainbow-T-Shirt/dp/B07ZCRTM29)** > > Buy Tardigrade Fartigrade Farting Water Bear Rainbow Fart Humor T-Shirt: Shop top fashion brands T-Shirts at Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/3 "2023-11-17T12:28:36Z")
Your question brings up a dilemma. Is an amoeba (or other microscopic unicellular animal) expelling waste gas respiration, elimination, or farting? In any event, googling “amoeba farts” brings up a startling number of hits (many of them regarding human farts caused by amoebas) and at least one illustration of the concept > **[Download the illustration of the amoeba cartoon doing fart for free](https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/3447634-the-illustration-of-the-amoeba-cartoon-doing-fart)** > > Download the the illustration of the amoeba cartoon doing fart 3447634 royalty-free Vector from Vecteezy for your project and explore over a million other vectors, icons and clipart graphics! ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/4 "2023-11-17T12:34:04Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Your question brings up a dilemma. Is an amoeba (or other microscopic unicellular animal) expelling waste gas respiration, elimination, or farting? In my high school biology class, the book called anything micro organisms expelled “excretion”. The book never went any FARTher in detail. 😈 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/5 "2023-11-17T14:03:07Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > P.S. An informational footnote, a fact I uncovered while googling this question — evidently sea lions have the stinkiest farts in nature: > > [This Little Fella Has The Most Revolting Farts In The Animal Kingdom | HuffPost Impact](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/animal-revolting-farts_n_57059458e4b053766188b568) I can confirm. Some years ago in Astoria, Oregon, my wife and I walked by a pier with a bunch of sea lions on it. We were downwind, and OMG did they stink. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/6 "2023-11-17T14:12:27Z")
A bit of a topic diversion, but it’s distressing that with the mountains of Covid-19 research published thus far, we still don’t have a definitive answer as to [whether the coronavirus can be transmitted through farts](https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/04/27/can-farts-transmit-covid-19-coronavirus-here-is-what-is-being-said/?sh=2b3a1435310f). And does the virus itself fart? That would win the tiniest-creature-that-farts award. Unfortunately, electron microscopy prep kills living cells, so you can’t see them moving away from farting viruses with cries of “ew!”. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/7 "2023-11-17T14:20:19Z")
This Little Fella Has The Most Revolting Farts In The Animal Kingdom Hilarious title for an article. Equally hilarious if it were a band name. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/8 "2023-11-17T14:32:36Z")
According to my dad, farts came from barking spiders. They must be quite small, since I never saw one. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/9 "2023-11-17T14:55:23Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > They must be quite small, since I never saw one. Meh. Elephants are pretty big but every father knows they can squeeze under their sofa. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/10 "2023-11-17T16:09:20Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > lacewings use farts offensively, farting on prey insects to stun them for consumption. From my research, they fart in your general direction when threatened. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/11 "2023-11-17T17:29:49Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > > [@Cervaise](#): > > > > P.S. An informational footnote, a fact I uncovered while googling this question — evidently sea lions have the stinkiest farts in nature: > > > > [This Little Fella Has The Most Revolting Farts In The Animal Kingdom | HuffPost Impact](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/animal-revolting-farts_n_57059458e4b053766188b568) > > I can confirm. Some years ago in Astoria, Oregon, my wife and I walked by a pier with a bunch of sea lions on it. We were downwind, and OMG did they stink. Can confirm. Monterey this year has been over-run with sea lions. They have taken-up residence right next to the walking/bike path beside the wharf, even taking over some benches. They are literally inches from you, and I am not sure it’s from flatulence, but boy do they stink! ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/12 "2023-11-17T18:01:43Z")
So when we bake yeast bread, does it rise because the yeast is farting? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/13 "2023-11-17T19:18:15Z")
If so, then yeast farts don’t smell bad. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/14 "2023-11-17T19:20:11Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > So when we bake yeast bread, does it rise because the yeast is farting? Arguably – within the limits of single-cell ambiguity I gave above. Don’t let it bother you any more than thinking that when you’re drinking fermented beverages you’re basically drinking yeast piss. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/15 "2023-11-17T21:44:00Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > If so, then yeast farts don’t smell bad. But I bet they sound really cute. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/16 "2023-11-17T22:36:20Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Your question brings up a dilemma. Is an amoeba (or other microscopic unicellular animal) expelling waste gas respiration, elimination, or farting? I think it’s got to be valid - if there is a digestive process, and there is waste expelled in gaseous form, the only way it could be disqualified is that it doesn’t _sound_ like a fart, but that can’t be right, because I can let one out quietly sometimes. Yeast isn’t an animal though, but amoebae and probably some other unicellular things are - although having said that, some of the multicellular candidates might be smaller than the qualifying unicellular candidates - rotifers(multicellular) can be smaller than - and eaten by - things like Stentor(unicellular) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/17 "2023-11-17T22:38:37Z")
Single-celled creatures are by definition not animals. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/18 "2023-11-17T22:41:05Z")
And viruses are not living entities, so they definitely don’t fart. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/19 "2023-11-17T22:52:07Z")
Brown marmorated stink bugs. The odor comes from the abdomen. I don’t if it’s really a _fart_. But boy, they stink! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287/20 "2023-11-17T23:09:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Single-celled creatures are by definition not animals. ⁢ Sounds like we should start from finding the smallest animal–perhaps the one with the fewest number of cells. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-animal-that-farts/993287.md?page=2)