island dwarfing

Island dwarfing is a biological phenomenon where species confined to isolated islands tend to decrease in average size. This occurs due to a reduction in resources, which favors smaller individuals requiring less sustenance.12

This process is evident in the Galapagos Islands and the Hawaiian archipelago, where unique species like Darwin's finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers have evolved. For instance, Europasaurus, a small sauropod dinosaur, likely experienced island dwarfing on Late Jurassic European islands. Similarly, Homo floresiensis, found on the Indonesian island of Flores, is another example, though its exact origins and the cause of its small stature are debated.324