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The Unbelievable Animal Kingdom

Remarkable senses, unexpected diets and extraordinary adaptations.

Free to use with your own team, courtesy of WorkplaceHero - workplacehero.co.uk

Question sheet

1. Which fish can absorb nutrients directly through its skin?
- A. Pacific hagfish
- B. Rainbow trout
- C. Atlantic cod
- D. Clownfish
2. The binturong’s characteristic smell is compared to which food?
- A. Toasted coconut
- B. Roasted coffee
- C. Blue cheese
- D. Fresh popcorn
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
- D. The enamel on their teeth
4. What do young hoatzin birds use to grip branches while climbing?
- A. Suckers beneath their feet
- B. Claws on their wings
- C. Sticky pads on their tails
- D. Hooks on their beaks
5. What protective function does the sleeping parrotfish’s mucus cocoon have?
- A. Reducing bloodsucking parasite attacks
- B. Keeping teeth sharp
- C. Preventing salt absorption
- D. Maintaining buoyancy
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
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
- D. From a hollow spine
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
- C. Infrared radiation
- D. Radio-frequency echoes
9. Why do turkey vultures sometimes release droppings onto their own legs?
- A. To cool themselves as the moisture evaporates
- B. To make their legs waterproof
- C. To mark their age
- D. To strengthen their claws
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
11. Despite its long neck, how many neck vertebrae does a giraffe normally have?
- A. 14
- B. 21
- C. 7
- D. 12
12. Beyond ordinary colour information, mantis shrimp can detect which property of light?
- A. Electrical conductivity
- B. Polarisation
- C. Sound frequency
- D. Gravitational mass

Answer sheet (for the quizmaster)

1. A - Pacific hagfish
Pacific hagfish can take up nutrients through their skin while burrowing into a carcass, as well as feeding through their mouths.
2. D - Fresh popcorn
San Diego Zoo describes binturongs as smelling like freshly made popcorn. Scent plays a role in communication.
3. C - The reflective layer behind the retina
The tapetum lucidum changes its reflection with the seasons. The winter change is associated with greater sensitivity to dim light.
4. B - Claws on their wings
Hoatzin nestlings have mobile wing claws that help them climb through vegetation. These are not just ordinary foot claws.
5. A - Reducing bloodsucking parasite attacks
The cocoon protects the resting fish from parasites such as bloodsucking isopods.
6. D - Marine snow: drifting organic debris
Vampire squid are detritivores that gather sinking organic particles with filaments, not bloodsucking predators.
7. C - By lapping milk from a mammary patch
The mother secretes milk from glands in her pouch area, and the puggle laps it up.
8. B - Weak electrical signals
Electroreceptors in the bill detect electrical activity associated with prey, complementing mechanical sensing.
9. A - To cool themselves as the moisture evaporates
Evaporation from the wet droppings helps remove heat. This unusual cooling behaviour is called urohidrosis.
10. D - By squirting water from their mouths
Archerfish shoot jets of water at insects above the surface, knocking prey down where they can eat it.
11. C - 7
Giraffes have seven cervical vertebrae, as humans do. Their individual neck vertebrae are exceptionally elongated.
12. B - Polarisation
Mantis shrimp possess polarisation-sensitive vision, which may also play a role in communication.