Zoological Connections Trivia Quiz

Answer: birds

In the popular sport of golf, various scores are named after birds: condor is four strokes under par (-4), albatross (or double eagle) is three strokes under par (-3), eagle is two strokes under par (-2), and birdie is one stroke under par (-1). This use of bird names is probably rooted in 19th-century slang, in which "bird" was synonymous with excellent or wonderful.

Answer: birds

Celebrated in the US at the end of November, Thanksgiving Day was originally a harvest festival. Now it mainly revolves around a plentiful dinner, shared with family and friends, featuring foods native to the Americas. One of these foods is the dinner's centrepiece, a roast (or deep-fried) turkey, served with stuffing and a variety of side dishes.

Answer: birds

The majestic Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is the national animal of a number of South American countries, and is featured on their coat of arms. A condor with wings spread out - symbolizing the greatness and strength of the country - perches on top of the coat of arms of Ecuador, which appears in the centre of the country's national flag.

Answer: birds

One of Alfred Hitchcock's most iconic films, "The Birds" (1983) is an adaptation of a 1952 short story by English author Daphne du Maurier. Starring Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren and Jessica Tandy, the film details a series of violent, unexplained bird attacks on people, taking place over a few days in the California town of Bodega Bay.

Answer: reptiles

The charismatic frontman and lyricist of 1960s psychedelic rock band The Doors, Jim Morrison referred to himself as the Lizard King in the song "Not to Touch the Earth" (featured on the 1968 album "Waiting for the Sun"). This nickname is believed to be a reference to the ever-changing nature of reptiles, which periodically shed their skin.

Answer: reptiles

The Galápagos Islands are a volcanic archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean, around the Equator. A province of Ecuador, these islands are renowned for their unique wildlife, which was studied and described by Charles Darwin in the 1830s. One of these species are the giant tortoises (Chelonoidis niger), to which the islands owe their name: "galápago" means "turtle" in Spanish.

Answer: reptiles

In Greek mythology, Medusa was one of the Gorgons - monstrous creatures described as women with living snakes in place of their hair, who could turn to stone anyone who looked at them. Unlike her sisters Stheno and Euryale, Medusa was mortal, and was killed and beheaded by the hero Perseus, a son of Zeus; the winged horse Pegasus was born from her blood.

Answer: reptiles

The ancient belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating their prey has given rise to the phrase "crocodile tears" - denoting a false, hypocritical display of remorse or regret - which appears in many modern languages. In fact, crocodiles do weep to clean and lubricate their eyes when they have been on dry land for some time - though not necessarily during feeding.

Answer: fish

Based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel of the same title, "Jaws" (1975) was one of the first summer blockbusters. Starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw, the film consolidated the reputation of its director, Steven Spielberg. The enormously successful story of a huge great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) terrorizing the summer resort town of Amity Island made a lot of people afraid of swimming in the ocean.

Answer: fish

Though sushi is not necessarily made only with fish or seafood, many people associate it with raw fish - definitely an acquired taste in many Western countries. The name sushi actually refers to the sour taste of the vinegar added to the rice used as a base for a wide variety of ingredients.

This popular Japanese dish comes in various styles, and is usually accompanied by soy sauce, wasabi (Japanese horseradish) and pickled ginger.

Answer: fish

According to a widespread (though debated) etymology, sardines are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia (now part of Italy), as they supposedly abounded in the seas around the island. Also known as pilchards, sardines (Sardina pilchardus) are small, oily fish closely related to herrings.

The common phrase "packed like sardines" stems from the fact that these fish are usually found in tinned form.

Answer: fish

As narrated in the New Testament, Simon Peter was one of the first Apostles called by Jesus Christ to follow him. The name Peter by which he is known is a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, meaning "rock" or "stone". In all four Gospels he is described as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee along with his brother Andrew.

In Matthew and Mark, Jesus tells Peter and Andrew that he will make them "fishers of men". Because of Peter's previous occupation, the ring worn by Popes is known as the Ring of the Fisherman.

Answer: arthropods

The Crickets were a band formed in 1957 by American singer-songwriter Buddy Holly in his home town of Lubbock (Texas). The name was chosen to avoid legal troubles, as Holly had already recorded with another label under his own name. The quartet first toyed with the idea of calling themselves "Grasshoppers" or "Beetles", but eventually settled on The Crickets, which they regarded as "happy" insects making "happy" sounds.

Answer: arthropods

Cio-Cio-San is the main character of Giacomo Puccini's celebrated opera "Madama Butterfly" (premiered in 1904); the opera's title is a literal translation of her name. Based on a short story by American writer John Luther Long, the opera tells the tragic story of a 15-year-old Japanese girl who marries Pinkerton, an American naval officer, and is later deserted by him.

Answer: arthropods

Tarantella is a lively folk dance that originated in Southern Italy - in particular in the southeastern region of Apulia (Puglia) - around the 18th century. Its name, however, stems from a much older belief in dance as a remedy for the effects of the venomous bite of the wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula), an arachnid only distantly related to real tarantulas.

The spider's specific name comes from the Apulian city of Taranto (Tarantas in Greek).

Answer: arthropods

Designated as Alpha Scorpii, Antares is the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius; it is often called the "Heart of the Scorpion" because of its central position. A red supergiant, it is also the fifteenth-brightest star in the night sky. Its name comes from the Greek for "rival of Mars" - a reference to its reddish colour, compared to that of the planet.