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No Dinosaurs. No Humans. Trivia Quiz

Is there any paleontology quiz without dinosaurs? It's not like they ruled the earth forever...

A multiple-choice quiz by alquinn. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
alquinn

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
60,431

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Very Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
1666

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which of these is NOT one of the 'big five' mass extinctions? Hint

Triassic

Permian

Silurian

Ordovician

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Question 2 of 10

2. The 'mammal-like reptiles' included which of these groups? Hint

Pelycosaurs

Chondrichthians

Archosaurs

Lepidosaurs

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Question 3 of 10

3. Charles Lyell, associated with gradualism, discredited Georges Cuvier who theorized mass extinctions in the school of thought called...

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which of these is not an age of the Mesozoic? Hint

Hauterivian

Rhaetian

Guadalupian

Toarcian

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Question 5 of 10

5. The ancient ape genus Proconsul was named after Hint

the scientist who named it

a Roman title

an ape in the London zoo

the scientist who discovered it

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of these genera did I make up? Hint

Hallucigenia

Anomalocaris

Wiwaxia

Cephalothyris

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which group is most closely related to Diatryma? Hint

Megaladapids

Phorusrachids

Deinotherids

All are not related

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Question 8 of 10

8. According to David M. Raup, the Permian extinction wiped out what percentage of marine life at the species level? Hint

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of these epochs came first? Hint

Oligocene

Pliocene

Miocene

Pleistocene

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Question 10 of 10

10. Enough with the epochs, periods, etc! In a death match between the following, who would win? Hint

Cynodont

Archaethyris

Ichthyostega

Opabinia

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of these is NOT one of the 'big five' mass extinctions?

Answer: Silurian

The 'big five' are distinguished by having at least a 50 percent species kill rate.

2. The 'mammal-like reptiles' included which of these groups?

Answer: Pelycosaurs

The other main branch was the Therapsids. Archosaurs includes dinosaurs, crocodiles and {birds;} Chondrichthians includes sharks and {rays;} Lepidosaurs are lizards and snakes.

3. Charles Lyell, associated with gradualism, discredited Georges Cuvier who theorized mass extinctions in the school of thought called...

Answer: catastrophism

Lyell also helped Darwin a great deal by estimating the age of the earth to be an amazing million years or so older than the Bible's account.

4. Which of these is not an age of the Mesozoic?

Answer: Guadalupian

The Guadelupian was during the Permian era.

5. The ancient ape genus Proconsul was named after

Answer: an ape in the London zoo

The ape was named 'Consul', the ancient genus being 'before Consul'. An understatement if ever there was one.

6. Which of these genera did I make up?

Answer: Cephalothyris

Cephalothyris would be 'head window' I believe. The others are from the Burgess Shale, and are some of the weirdest creatures ever. You couldn't make them up, Lewis Carroll couldn't make them up, they're too weird.

7. Which group is most closely related to Diatryma?

Answer: Phorusrachids

They were giant birds.

8. According to David M. Raup, the Permian extinction wiped out what percentage of marine life at the species level?

Answer: 96

50 percent of Families, too. Raup's books, The Nemesis Affair and Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck? are very highly recommended.

9. Which of these epochs came first?

Answer: Oligocene

10. Enough with the epochs, periods, etc! In a death match between the following, who would win?

Answer: Cynodont

A Cyonodont, a kind of Therapsid, had precise occlusion and {heterodonty;} basically, a nice jaw with wicked teeth. Icthyostega was an innocent fish-evolved-into-amphibian. Archaeothyris was a very early chordate. Nobody knows what Opabinia {was;} it had five eyes and a long proboscis. Paleontologists laughed at it when it was first shown at a scientific meeting. Burgess Shale again.

Source: Author alquinn

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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No Dinosaurs. No Humans. Trivia Quiz

Is there *any* paleontology quiz without dinosaurs? It's not like they ruled the earth forever...

Is there any paleontology quiz without dinosaurs? It's not like they ruled the earth forever...