The Unbelievable Animal Kingdom

Hidden so nobody spots the answers before playing. Quizmasters, this is for you.

1. 1. Which fish can absorb nutrients directly through its skin?
   • A. Pacific hagfish (answer)
   • B. Rainbow trout
   • C. Atlantic cod
   • D. Clownfish
   Pacific hagfish can take up nutrients through their skin while burrowing into a carcass, as well as feeding through their mouths.
2. 2. The binturong’s characteristic smell is compared to which food?
   • A. Toasted coconut
   • B. Roasted coffee
   • C. Blue cheese
   • D. Fresh popcorn (answer)
   San Diego Zoo describes binturongs as smelling like freshly made popcorn. Scent plays a role in communication.
3. 3. In Arctic reindeer, what changes from gold in summer to deep blue in winter?
   • A. The skin inside their ears
   • B. The outer surface of their antlers
   • C. The reflective layer behind the retina (answer)
   • D. The enamel on their teeth
   The tapetum lucidum changes its reflection with the seasons. The winter change is associated with greater sensitivity to dim light.
4. 4. What do young hoatzin birds use to grip branches while climbing?
   • A. Suckers beneath their feet
   • B. Claws on their wings (answer)
   • C. Sticky pads on their tails
   • D. Hooks on their beaks
   Hoatzin nestlings have mobile wing claws that help them climb through vegetation. These are not just ordinary foot claws.
5. 5. What protective function does the sleeping parrotfish’s mucus cocoon have?
   • A. Reducing bloodsucking parasite attacks (answer)
   • B. Keeping teeth sharp
   • C. Preventing salt absorption
   • D. Maintaining buoyancy
   The cocoon protects the resting fish from parasites such as bloodsucking isopods.
6. 6. Despite its name, what does the vampire squid primarily collect?
   • A. Blood from sleeping fish
   • B. Living jellyfish tentacles
   • C. Coral polyps
   • D. Marine snow: drifting organic debris (answer)
   Vampire squid are detritivores that gather sinking organic particles with filaments, not bloodsucking predators.
7. 7. How does a newly hatched echidna obtain milk when its mother has no nipples?
   • A. From regurgitated food
   • B. Through another egg’s shell
   • C. By lapping milk from a mammary patch (answer)
   • D. From a hollow spine
   The mother secretes milk from glands in her pouch area, and the puggle laps it up.
8. 8. A platypus closes its eyes and ear openings underwater. What can its bill detect to find prey?
   • A. Ultraviolet reflections
   • B. Weak electrical signals (answer)
   • C. Infrared radiation
   • D. Radio-frequency echoes
   Electroreceptors in the bill detect electrical activity associated with prey, complementing mechanical sensing.
9. 9. Why do turkey vultures sometimes release droppings onto their own legs?
   • A. To cool themselves as the moisture evaporates (answer)
   • B. To make their legs waterproof
   • C. To mark their age
   • D. To strengthen their claws
   Evaporation from the wet droppings helps remove heat. This unusual cooling behaviour is called urohidrosis.
10. 10. How do archerfish knock insects into the water?
    • A. By firing loose teeth
    • B. By producing an electric shock
    • C. By flashing light from their scales
    • D. By squirting water from their mouths (answer)
    Archerfish shoot jets of water at insects above the surface, knocking prey down where they can eat it.
11. 11. Despite its long neck, how many neck vertebrae does a giraffe normally have?
    • A. 14
    • B. 21
    • C. 7 (answer)
    • D. 12
    Giraffes have seven cervical vertebrae, as humans do. Their individual neck vertebrae are exceptionally elongated.
12. 12. Beyond ordinary colour information, mantis shrimp can detect which property of light?
    • A. Electrical conductivity
    • B. Polarisation (answer)
    • C. Sound frequency
    • D. Gravitational mass
    Mantis shrimp possess polarisation-sensitive vision, which may also play a role in communication.