African Animals Mystery Sort Trivia Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Green-eyed hawker

Answer: Insect

The green-eyed hawker (Aeschna isosceles) is a brownish dragonfly living mostly in central and southern Europe and northern Africa, although it can be a rare visitor to Great Britain.

2. Sacred scarab

Answer: Insect

The sacred scarab (Scarabaeus sacer) is a dung beetle living in southern Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. It is well known as a species venerated by the ancient Egyptians as a symbol of rebirth.

3. Masontja

Answer: Insect

The Gonimbrasia belina is known under many vernacular names, of which masontja is one of the most frequent (the name in at least six local languages). The masontja is a large brownish moth living in the African mainland below the Equator. Its caterpillars are edible and are known in English as mopane worms.

4. Migratory locust

Answer: Insect

Migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria) are insects similar in aspect and behaviour to the well-known grasshoppers. The species is common in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, but almost extinct in Europe.

5. Nile tilapia

Answer: Fish

The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a brownish - greyish fish with a striped tail living in rivers and lakes all over western Africa, but also in coastal rivers in Israel.

6. Niger barb

Answer: Fish

The Niger barb (Labeobarbus bynni) is a large barb fish, living in the rivers of central Africa. It feeds on insects, crustaceans and algae.

7. Spotted sand catlet

Answer: Fish

The spotted sand catlet (Zaireichthys rotundiceps) is a loach catfish living in central to southern Africa, mostly in shallow rivers.

8. Aba

Answer: Fish

The aba (Gymnarchus niloticus) is also known as the African knifefish. This fish can make its tail electronegative and the head electropositive, thus creating an electromagnetic field around its body.

9. Marabou

Answer: Bird

The marabou (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is a relative of the stork. This large greyish bird lives all over the African mainland south of the Sahara.

10. Drakensberg rockjumper

Answer: Bird

The Drakensberg rockjumper (Chaenops aurantus) is a small bird endemic to the western half of South-Africa. It feeds on insects and small reptiles.

11. Blue quail

Answer: Bird

The blue quail (Synoicus adansonii) is a bird living all over the African mainland south of the Sahara. Only the adult male has blue feathers on the chest.

12. Red-billed oxpecker

Answer: Bird

The red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorynchus) is a brownish bird with a red beak, living in the eastern half of Africa south of the Sahara. It can usually be found on the back of large mammals, feeding on ticks and lice in the mammal's fur.

13. Pygmy hippopotamus

Answer: Mammal

The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) lives in the western part of Africa, mostly in Liberia. It is a semi-aquatic mammal, spending most of the time submerged in the river and feeding on shore on leaves, grasses and fruit.

14. Mandrill

Answer: Mammal

The mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) is a large omnivorous monkey, living in the western parts of equatorial Africa. Male mandrills are highly recognizable by their brightly coloured muzzles and behinds.

15. Aardvark

Answer: Mammal

The aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is a mammal living all over the African mainland south of the Sahara. It lives in a burrow and comes out at night to feed on insects such as ants and termites.

16. Caracal

Answer: Mammal

The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a medium feline, living all over Africa and in the western to central parts of South Asia (up to northern regions of India). Caracals are carnivores and feed at night.

Source: Author JanIQ

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Sixteen animals that live in the wild on the African mainland (and some also elsewhere) have broken loose. Can you sort them into the appropriate mystery boxes? Their habitat or their diet is not a criterion.