Fascinating Fauna Trivia Quiz

Answer: Leafy seadragon

This little fellow is the official marine emblem of South Australia! Leafy seadragons are relatives of seahorses (although not blandished seahorses, I made that up) but grow somewhat larger, about 8 to 10 inches long. They are found only in the waters around South Australia. Polluted waters and harvesting by divers have caused the seadragon to make the list of endangered species.

Answer: False

The life forms pictured are members of a family of crustaceans known as "squat lobsters", which are more closely related to some crabs, including hermit crabs, than to true lobsters. Squat lobsters are found worldwide in saltwater habitats ranging in depth from the surface to the very deepest trenches of the oceans. Over 900 species of squat lobster have been identified, some of which are sought by commercial fishermen.

Answer: Angora rabbit

Angora rabbits are one of the oldest type of domesticated rabbit. They were first bred in Ankara, Turkey (which used to be named Angora). Angoras produce long, silky wool that has commercial value in the garment industry.

Answer: Green iguana

Green iguanas are the garden variety iguana (Taxonomic name: Iguana iguana) found in many parts of North, Central, and South America, as well as throughout the Caribbean. The male green iguana turns an orange color to attract a mate, but during non-mating times, green iguanas are generally predominantly green. To confuse the situation a bit more, green iguanas sometimes come in shades of blue, gray, brown and even red, unrelated to getting dressed up for hot dates.

Answer: Shoebill

There is debate among ornithologists as to whether the shoebill is a stork or a pelican. These birds, classified as vulnerable on the endangered species continuum, inhabit swamplands of tropical east Africa. They are solitary birds, even keeping some distance from their mates.

They are also known for standing perfectly still for long periods of time. Shoebills are quite large birds, reaching heights of up to 5 feet with a 7- to 8-foot wing span, and very large feet (its middle toe can be 6 inches long)!

Answer: Cicada

Cicadas live underground for much of their lives, in the nymphal stage of their lives. They can burrow down as far as 8 feet underground. When they reach adulthood, they build a tunnel to the surface and once above ground, they shed their exoskeletons on a handy plant, leaving them behind. Generally, the life cycle of a cicada is two to five years, but some are as long as 17 years.

Answer: Chameleon

Not all species of chameleon are able to change color. Some species have prehensile tails. Chameleons' native habitats include warmer areas of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Chameleons have been introduced into warmer parts of the US and have adapted well to Hawaii, California, and Florida.

Answer: Wallaby

It's an albino wallaby. They're pretty rare, and less well adapted to living in the harsh climate that exists in much of Australia. They have less melanin in their skin and fur than their non-albino relatives, and are therefore more vulnerable to sunburn.

Their eyes also have less melanin, making them more sensitive to the sun's rays, and they often have poorer vision than other wallabies. If this weren't enough, their white coloring makes them stand out, so they are easy for predators to target.

Answer: Daring jumping spider

Daring jumping spiders are only one member of the large jumping spider family. They are one of the most common spiders found in the US, and are also native to southern Canada and parts of Central America. They hunt the insects upon which they prey by jumping on them, then quickly biting to inject venom into their victims.

They will bite humans defensively, but generally the bite of a jumping spider is not serious, just mildly irritated or itchy for a couple of days.

Answer: Wattle bizarre looper moth

The wattle bizarre looper moth is native to northern Australia. They may get the designation "wattle" because they feed on acacia, which is known as "wattle" in Australia. The reason for the adjective "bizarre" is pretty self-evident. Finally, the term "looper" refers to the caterpillar's shaping itself into something resembling a loop as it moves along.

The other three options do not, as far as I know, exist. I thought them up myself.