See If You Are Zookeeper Material By Getting 100% On This Quiz That's All About Animals!
Written by Daniel Rackley
Last updated · 25 min play time
There are thousands upon thousands of animals in the world. So many, that you would have to spend a lifetime to become an expert on just one or two of them. Take this quiz and see what you know about the many animals we share the world with!
Quiz written by
Daniel RackleyAnimals Quiz Questions
65 Questions · 1K Plays · 6 Comments
Question 1
Which of the following insect species is most likely to be observed participating in sexual cannibalism, the female consuming the male after reproduction?
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APraying Mantis
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BDung Beetle
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CBullet Ant
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DWalking Stick
Praying Mantis
While it doesn't happen every time, it is not uncommon for a female praying mantis to consume a male after mating.
Question 2
Which of the following is a defining characteristic of all invertebrates?
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AThey have no backbone
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BThey are warm blooded
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CThey are symmetrical
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DThey are herbivores
They have no backbone
Invertebrates by definition have no backbone.
Question 3
Where do sea turtles lay their eggs?
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ABetween rocks on the ocean floor
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BOn the sandy ocean floor
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COn the beach
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DIn kelp forests
On the beach
Turtles nearly always lay their eggs on sandy beaches.
Question 4
The male of one type of fish is the only known creature where the male is the one to become pregnant. What fish is this?
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AHalibut
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BSwordfish
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CWolf eel
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DSeahorse
Seahorse
Female seahorses transfer their eggs to the males making them the only creature where the males become pregnant.
Question 5
What fish, born with eyes on both sides of its head, has one eye migrate to the other side of the head, giving it both eyes on one side of its head?
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ASardine
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BFlounder
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CYellow tang
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DStingray
Flounder
The flounder, like other flat fish start out as relatively normal looking fish, but over time one eye will slowly move to the opposite side, and as it does so it also changes into a flat fish, extremely good at hiding on the ocean floor.
Question 6
Nearly all amphibians undergo a significant change from infancy to adulthood. What is the name of this change?
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AMetamorphosis
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BPuberty
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COsmosis
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DMitosis
Metamorphosis
Nearly all amphibians change from a larval stage, usually as a tadpole in the water, to an adult, usually living a life at least partially on land. The transition between these two phases is known as metamorphosis.
Question 7
Which amphibians are known to have wart-like bumps covering their skin?
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AToads
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BCaecilians
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CSalamanders
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DNewts
Toads
Many toads have skin covered in warts, however these warts are not contagious contrary to popular belief.
Question 8
Which of the following fish is caught by humans who stick their hands/arms into holes and pull the fish out after the fish bites their hand?
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ACatfish
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BLargemouth Bass
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CSteelhead
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DRainbow trout
Catfish
Noodling, also known as handfishing, is the practice of putting your hand and/or arm into a catfish nest in hopes of one biting you, and then pulling it out of the water.
Question 9
Which crustacean is known to make its home within the discarded shells of other animals?
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ASoftshell crab
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BHermit crab
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CCrawfish
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DSpider crab
Hermit crab
The hermit crab is known for taking up residence in the discarded shells of snails.
Question 10
What is the primary purpose of a frog croak?
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ATo attract insects that they then eat
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BTo attract a mate
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CThey sing to their young as part of parenting
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DTo scare away predators
To attract a mate
Only male frogs vocalize, and they do so to attract female mates.
Question 11
Coral reefs are made up of invertebrate animals known as coral polyps. These are actually transparent animals related to jellyfish. Where do corals reefs get their color?
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AThe algae they feed on
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BFish scales
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CFish droppings
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DThe rocks underneath
The algae they feed on
The brilliant colors coral reefs display come from algae that lives on them and that they ingest. The algae and the coral have what is known as a symbiotic relationship.
Question 12
How are tree frogs able to climb trees?
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ASticky mucus on their feet
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BExtreme gripping strength
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CSmall claws
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DMolecular bonds
Sticky mucus on their feet
Tree frogs have pads that produce a mucus that adheres to trees and other objects.
Question 13
What invertebrate was (and still occasionally is) applied to the human body as part of medical treatment for disease? Hint: You can't always trust the photos.
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ALeeches
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BSea anemone
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CSnails
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DHook worms
Leeches
Leeches were commonly used by doctors as part of bloodletting treatment during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They are still occasionally used today after plastic surgery such as reattachment of a lost finger to encourage blood flow.
Question 14
Owls have special fringed feathers at the tips of their wings called flutings. What is the purpose of these feathers?
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ATo attract females
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BTo pick up potential prey
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CTo keep their young warm
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DTo allow the owl to fly silently
To allow the owl to fly silently
Sounds made by things moving through air is usually caused by turbulence. Owl flutings break up the air causing turbulence to only occur in very small and disperse amounts (known as micro-turbulence), thus making their flight nearly silent.
Question 15
All mammals have the same number of chambers in their hearts. How many chambers is that?
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ATwo
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BThree
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CFour
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DSix
Four
Mammals and birds all have four chamber hearts for managing the flow of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood through the body.
Question 16
What is the name of the hard outer body all insects have?
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AExoskeleton
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BAbdominal shell
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CInsect Armor
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DSkin
Exoskeleton
Insects do not have bones or internal skeletal structure like vertebrate animals. Instead their body offers the needed structure, therefore it is referred to as an exoskeleton, exo- meaning external.
Question 17
All mammals have hair on their bodies at least one point during their lives. What is the primary function of the hair?
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AIncrease sensitivity of touch
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BProtect against prey
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CInsulation
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DProvide distinction between male and female
Insulation
Hair on mammals traps air providing a layer of insulation much like fiberglass insulation in the walls of most modern homes.
Question 18
How do most amphibians reproduce?
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ABy self cloning
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BBy live birth
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CBy laying eggs
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DBy spreading spores
By laying eggs
Almost all amphibians lay eggs when reproducing.
Question 19
Reptiles are ectothermic meaning they control body temperature using which of the following:
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ANone of these, the body automatically regulates temperature like in humans
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BAbsorbing heat from the environment
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CMoving around more to generate heat
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DShivering or sweating to control temperature
Absorbing heat from the environment
Reptiles are ectothermic, commonly called cold-blooded, meaning their bodies cannot self-regulate their core temperature and instead they must absorb heat from the environment.
Question 20
Some vipers, pythons and boas have a special organ just under their nostrils that makes them better hunters. What is this organ used to detect?
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AMagnetic fields
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BMovement of the air
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CX-rays (to see through objects)
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DThermal radiation (heat)
Thermal radiation (heat)
Various snakes have pits or channels on their faces filled with thermoreceptors enabling them to have "heat sensing" capabilities. They can detect thermal radiation of prey as well as predators.
Question 21
Which of the following features of a bird's body structure is key to it being able to fly?
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AHaving no liver or kidneys
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BHaving zero body fat
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CHaving no bones, only cartilage
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DHaving hollow bones
Having hollow bones
Birds have hollow bones, making it easier for them to fly.
Question 22
Which of the following is NOT a fish commonly known to live in and around coral reefs?
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AYellow tang
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BClownfish
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CPiranha
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DParrotfish
Piranha
Yellow tangs, parrotfish, and clownfish are all commonly found on coral reefs, but piranhas are found in the rivers of South America.
Question 23
Mammals are highly social and many predators are pack hunters. Which of the following IS NOT a pack hunter?
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ACoyote
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BLion
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COrca
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DPolar bear
Polar bear
Lions, orcas and coyotes are all highly social animals that hunt in groups. The polar bear is not a pack animal, and with the exception of a mother raising its young polar bears are most commonly seen alone.
Question 24
Many fish are able to create light that they use in various ways. What is it that makes them able to generate light in most cases?
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ABioluminescence
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BInfrared scales
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CThermal radiation
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DStatic electricity
Bioluminescence
Many fish use a chemical reaction that generates light known as bioluminescence. They use bioluminescence for a variety of purposes including hunting and escaping predators.
Question 25
Flamingos are known for their distinctive bright pink color. Why are they pink?
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ATheir diet
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BBlood vessels run through their feathers
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CThere are pink parasites that live on their feathers.
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DThey roll around in pink foliage.
Their diet
For flamingos, it turns out you are what you eat. The high levels of carotenoids in their diet leads to their pink color.
Question 26
What determines the body temperature of most fish?
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AThe temperature of the water
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BThe amount and speed of their swimming
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CWhat they eat
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DThermoregulation (like humans)
The temperature of the water
As cold-blooded animals, the body temperature of fish is determined by their environment, therefore it is determined by the temperature of the water they are in for nearly all fish. Some sharks however can use swimming to elevate their core temperature to slightly above that of the water.
Question 27
Slugs, worms and many other invertebrates are hermaphrodites. What does it mean for an animal to be a hermaphrodite?
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AThey eat plants and bugs only
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BThey mate year round
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CThey move without the use of any limbs
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DThey have both male and female organs
They have both male and female organs
Hermaphrodite creatures are creatures that have both male and female reproductive organs.
Question 28
Many lizards have the ability to lose and regrow their tails. What is the most common reason they do this?
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ATo attract a mate
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BAs food for their young
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CTo distract a predator
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DAs part of shedding their skin during growth
To distract a predator
The releasing of a tail for many lizards is a costly defense mechanism. They drop the tail when scared in hopes of distracting or subduing a pursuing predator.
Question 29
Reptiles have a much lower resting metabolism than most mammals. What is the benefit of a low resting metabolism?
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AThe body requires less fuel (food)
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BThe animal is able to go long periods of time without breathing
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CThey are able to more easily survive in cold climates
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DEye sight is improved
The body requires less fuel (food)
As cold-blooded animals, reptiles do not generate the heat needed to keep the body warm and functioning, therefore they have lower metabolisms. The lower metabolism means they require less energy, which means they don't need as much fuel (food) to survive.
Question 30
The deadliest creature in Africa is the mosquito due to the number of deaths resulting from malaria. What is the deadliest mammal in Africa?
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AHippopotamus
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BWater buffalo
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CElephant
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DLion
Hippopotamus
As odd as it may seem, the powerful and highly territorial hippopotamus kills more humans in Africa every year than any other mammal.
Question 31
All insects have bodies made of three parts. The top is the head, the bottom is the abdomen, what is the middle section called?
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AStomach
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BThyroid
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CThorax
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DTrunk
Thorax
The middle section of the insect is called the thorax.
Question 32
Which of the following is NOT a defense mechanism of the pufferfish?
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APointy spines
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BShort burst of speed
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CPoison
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DElectric shock
Electric shock
Pufferfish defend themselves with sharp spines that protrude when they "inflate" themselves. This method of defense is only used when their short burst of speed fails to take them to safety. These tactics combined with their poison make them difficult prey.
Question 33
Which of the following is NOT true about fleas?
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AFleas transmit diseases
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BFleas can jump a distance of 100 times their body length
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CFleas have wings
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DFleas are parasites
Fleas have wings
All are true except fleas don't have wings, hence the necessity to jump so far.
Question 34
What is the most abundant insect in the world?
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AAnts
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BRoaches
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CFlies
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DMosquitoes
Ants
Ants are the most abundant insects on the planet with an estimated 10-10,000 trillion individuals on the Earth.
Question 35
Ants are amazing creatures that live in vast groups. How do all these adult ants communicate with one another?
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AChemical pheromones
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BMagnetic fields
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CAir vibrations
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DClicking sounds
Chemical pheromones
Ants primarily communicate by emitting and receiving chemical signals through pheromones.
Question 36
While there are not a lot of reptiles that migrate, there is one that migrated 12,774 miles over 647 days! What reptile is it that holds this record for the longest reptile migration?
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AGiant tortoise
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BAlligator
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CLeatherback Turtle
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DWater Moccasin (snake)
Leatherback Turtle
The leatherback turtle, the largest of all turtles, migrates vast distances between breeding and feeding areas. One was tracked traveling a distance of 12,774 miles!
Question 37
What is the most consumed fish in the United States?
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ATuna
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BCod
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CSalmon
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DTrout
Tuna
The most consumed fish in the U.S. is tuna, primarily in the form of canned tuna. Worldwide, herring is the most consumed fish. Keep in mind this excludes shellfish such as shrimp, which aren't actually fish.
Question 38
Which invertebrate is known to have a stomach that can exit the body while eating and then reenter the body when feeding is done?
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ASea Urchin
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BOctopus
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CStarfish
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DJellyfish
Starfish
Starfish have the unique ability to consume prey that are entirely outside of their body by having a stomach that can exit the body.
Question 39
Flies have a unique way of detecting food. How do they commonly detect edible food?
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ADetecting unique radiation with their antennae
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BReceptors in their wings can taste food while flying
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CHaving the most powerful sense of smell in the animal kingdom
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DTasting things with their feet
Tasting things with their feet
Flies have chemoreceptors in their feet that work in much the same way that taste buds work, enabling them to "taste" the food with their feet.
Question 40
What is the primary purpose for a snake having a forked tongue?
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AFor intimidation
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BTo act like a radio antenna, spreading wide to detect infrared waves in the air
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CTo blind two-eyed prey when attacking
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DTo detect chemicals in the air from two points providing "depth perception"
To detect chemicals in the air from two points providing "depth perception"
Snake tongues have the ability to detect chemicals in the air, much like our sense of smell. Having a forked tongue enables them to detect the smell from two points giving them a depth perception, similar to that provided by our eyes.
Question 41
The red-tailed hawk is known for its amazing eye sight. Imagine that there is a human with 20/20 vision, meaning they can read reasonably small writing from 20 feet way. How far away could the red-tailed hawk read the same sign (assuming it could read)?
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A40 feet
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B160 feet
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C80 feet
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D20 feet
160 feet
The red-tailed hawk has vision that is 8 times better than that of humans, or what would be considered 20/2.5 vision. Meaning at 20 ft they can see what a normal human can see at 2.5 feet.
Question 42
The common basilisk, nicknamed the Jesus Christ lizard, has the ability to run on water for distances up to twenty meters. Combined with fast moving legs, which of the following best explains how this is possible?
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ANegative buoyancy
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BCold temperatures make the surface act like a solid
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CTrapped air pockets under the feet
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DIts arms act like wings
Trapped air pockets under the feet
The strong and fast downward thrust combined with trapped air pockets under the lizard's feet enable it to run on the water.
Question 43
Coming in at around 55 pounds and up to 5 feet long, what is the largest known amphibian?
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AThe goliath toad
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BThe Japanese giant salamander
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CThe African toad
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DThe deep sea newt
The Japanese giant salamander
The Japanese giant salamander is the largest known amphibian in the world.
Question 44
The males of one species of fish is a parasite of the females. They will bite onto a female slowly fussing their bodies, joining her blood stream and dissolving all of his internal organs except the testes. What deep sea fish is this?
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APiranha
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BCarp
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CAnglerfish
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DHaddock
Anglerfish
The male anglerfish does all of these things. They are much smaller than the females and do not have the light that lures prey that the females have.
Question 45
Where is snake venom stored?
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AHollow fangs
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BVenom glands
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CHollow jaw bone
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DNasal passage
Venom glands
Snakes produce and store venom in glands in the skull. It is then transmitted to a victim through the fangs.
Question 46
The anhinga is a swamp bird that often spends time swimming with just its head and neck above the water giving it the nickname snakebird. When not swimming, it spends much of its time standing with its wings spread wide, why does it stand like this?
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ATo create shade that attracts fish
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BTo dry its feathers
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CTo look more snake-like
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DAs a mating ritual
To dry its feathers
The anhinga is a bird that doesn't have waterproof wings so it needs to dry its wings after being underwater.
Question 47
How many legs do insects have?
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A4
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B6
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C8
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D10
6
Insects have 6 legs, not to be confused with arachnids like spiders, which have 8.
Question 48
What is the main difference between the shark and ray class of fish and all other types of fish?
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ASharks and rays have multiple layers of teeth
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BSharks and rays are much more aggressive hunters.
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CSharks and rays have skeletons that are made of cartilage
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DSharks and rays have a tall dorsal fin
Sharks and rays have skeletons that are made of cartilage
The main differentiation is the skeleton. Sharks and rays have skeletons made of cartilage while other fish have skeletons made of bone.
Question 49
What are reptile scales made of?
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ACartilage
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BCallous Skin
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CBone
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DKeratin
Keratin
Much like human hair, reptile scales are made of keratin.
Question 50
All of the following are arachnids EXCEPT one. Which one is NOT an arachnid?
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AScorpions
-
BTicks
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CSpiders
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DCrawdads
Crawdads
Crawdads are crustaceans not arachnids.
Question 51
In order to be efficient and recycle nutrients many toads do which of the following?
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AEat the feces of other toads
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BEat their weak young
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CEat dead mammals
-
DEat their shed skin
Eat their shed skin
To save the lost nutrients of their frequently shed skin many toads eat the skin they shed.
Question 52
One order of larger mammals is the even-toed ungulates. Which of the following is an example of an even-toed ungulate?
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ABeaver
-
BKangaroo
-
CMoose
-
DPuma
Moose
Ungulates are hoofed mammals, the moose is the only hoofed mammal on the list and therefore is the only ungulate. The puma is a carnivore, the kangaroo is a marsupial, and the beaver is a rodent.
Question 53
Believe it or not the worlds deadliest animal is actually an insect killing an estimated 750,000 people every year, 15 times as many as the next deadliest animal type. What deadly insect/insect group is this?
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AMosquitoes
-
BSpiders
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CBees and Wasps
-
DTsetse Fly
Mosquitoes
The deadliest animal is the mosquito, killing an estimated 750,000 people per year, most of whom die from malaria.
Question 54
Clownfish have developed an immunity to the poisonous tentacles of what sea creature?
-
ABox jellyfish
-
BSea anemone
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CHumboldt squid
-
DSea urchin
Sea anemone
Clownfish are immune to the sting of the sea anemone making it a perfect home. The relationship also helps the anemone as the clownfish often lures other fish close enough for the anemone to sting and eat.
Question 55
Hummingbirds are highly unique birds. Which of the following abilities do ONLY hummingbirds have?
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AHovering while flying
-
BFlying at speeds over 30 mph
-
CFlying backwards
-
DThey don't need to migrate
Flying backwards
Hummingbirds have extremely high metabolisms, breathing rates, and heart rates in addition to being the only bird able to fly backwards.
Question 56
This African bird is named after a human job occupation. Can you guess what it is?
-
AThe mime bird
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BThe waiter bird
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CThe secretary Bird
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DThe magician bird
The secretary Bird
The bird shown is known as a secretary bird.
Question 57
Most amphibians start life in the water as larvae, how do these young amphibians breathe?
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AThrough drinking water
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BWith Lungs
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CWith gills
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DThey don't need to breath as larvae
With gills
Tadpoles breath underwater using gills.
Question 58
All of the following are fish EXCEPT one, which one is that?
-
AJellyfish
-
BSeahorse
-
CMoray eel
-
DLionfish
Jellyfish
Contrary to their name, the jellyfish is an invertebrate, not a fish.
Question 59
Unlike most birds, vultures have featherless heads, why do most vultures have featherless heads?
-
ATo prevent over heating
-
BTo remain clean while eating
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CThey pull them off one another when competing for mates.
-
DTo prevent getting caught when sticking their heads in tree holes
To remain clean while eating
Vultures are scavengers, eating any food they can and often times eating the leftovers of other carnivores. A featherless head helps them stay clean from dangerous bacteria.
Question 60
Bats are the only mammals capable of flying. Unlike birds, bats have a thin membrane stretch between bones. Which bones make up the skeletal structure of the bat's wing?
-
AFoot bones
-
BRib bones
-
CCollar and shoulder bones
-
DFinger bones
Finger bones
The wings of a bat are its arms with the highly flexible finger bones forming the skeleton of the wing with thin membrane like skin stretched between the fingers and connecting back to the body of the bat.
Question 61
Which of the following is NOT an invertebrate?
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AStarfish
-
BBanana slug
-
CFan coral
-
DMoray eel
Moray eel
The moray eel is a fish and not an invertebrate like the other 3.
Question 62
All of the following are characteristics of emperor penguins EXCEPT one, which one is that?
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AThey can dive to depths of 10,000 feet when hunting.
-
BThe males incubate the eggs.
-
CThey spend their entire life in Antarctica.
-
DThey are the largest of all penguin species.
They can dive to depths of 10,000 feet when hunting.
Emperor penguins are amazing birds, but they can only dive up to 1,500 feet.
Question 63
What invertebrate will eject internal organs through their anus in the direction of predators as a defense mechanism?
-
ABanana Slug
-
BGiant Millipede
-
CSea Cucumber
-
DKing Crab
Sea Cucumber
The sea cucumber is known to expel internal organs at predators in order to escape. They are then able to regenerate the missing organs in a matter of days.
Question 64
It is a commonly known fact that earthworms are good for garden and farm soil. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of earthworms for good growing soil?
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ATheir slime deposits nitrogen in the soil
-
BThey eat common plant eating pests
-
CThey create holes for air in the soil
-
DThey mix deep soil with topsoil
They eat common plant eating pests
Worms are very good for farm and garden soil for all of the reasons shown, except they eat vegetation and soil, not garden pests.
Question 65
A unique invertebrate has eyelids that give the eye a "W" shape. What animal is this?
-
ATarantula
-
BTapeworms
-
CHumboldt squid
-
DCuttlefish
Cuttlefish
The cuttlefish has an amazing eye shaped like a "w".
Comments (6)
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i feel like im talking to nobody
i ♥ nature
just so you know i commented like 4 times already to myself
yeah this quiz shows the real me.LOL!!!!
same i also got an 83%
I got an impressive 83% DANG I DIDNT KNOW I COULD FIT All THAT IN MY TINY LITTLE BRAIN usually I'm like in 1 ear out the other. Ya, know what I mean!!!!