A Name So Nice You Have To Say It Twice Quiz

Sometimes an animal has a scientific name that is the same word repeated, for example the moose is Alces alces. Match each animal's common name with its duplicated scientific name.

A matching quiz by AlexT781. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Common swift

Answer: Apus apus

The common swift derives its scientific name from Ancient Greek, and means "no foot", due to it having very short legs. Capable of flying almost ten months without landing, they rarely land unless absolutely necessary.

2. Loggerhead turtle

Answer: Caretta caretta

The loggerhead turtle can become a truly massive animal - one of the largest found weighed over 1,200 pounds. They also have some of the longest migration routes known. Some turtles have been tracked swimming nearly 9,000 miles to lay their eggs.

3. Southern cassowary

Answer: Casuarius casuarius

Also known as the Australian cassowary, this relative of the emu has been declared "endangered" in Australia and "vulnerable" throughout New Guinea, its native habitat.

4. Ocean sunfish

Answer: Mola mola

Until its death in 2008, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, in California, had a sunfish that was nearly seven feet long and weighed about 1,300 pounds. The largest on record, at ten feet long, weighed almost 5,000 pounds.

5. Spotted hyena

Answer: Crocuta crocuta

Also known as the laughing hyena, the spotted hyena is the most well known hyena species. While they have been given a bad reputation, they can actually be trained and kept as pets. However, they can be very difficult to house train.

6. Red fox

Answer: Vulpes vulpes

Red foxes are the most widespread of the "true foxes". While they live in the northern hemisphere, they are also found in Australia, where they were introduced in the early 1800s to use for the old British pastime of fox hunting.

7. Western swamphen

Answer: Porphyrio porphyrio

The ancient Romans considered the western swamphen a "noble bird", possibly due to its purplish color, and it was kept as a decorative animal in many wealthy Roman homes.

8. South American coati

Answer: Nasua nasua

The South American coati is normally found from the southeastern Andes lowlands to the coast of Brazil. They can reach almost four feet long, with half its length consisting of the tail.

9. European badger

Answer: Meles meles

The common European badger (Meles meles meles) was used in England much like foxes, in what was called "badger-baiting". Today, there are periodic hunts, called badger culling, to keep the population in check and prevent the spread of diseases.

10. Spotted deer

Answer: Axis axis

Also known as the cheetal or axis deer, this is a species of deer found in India. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, they were introduced into the United States through Hawaii and Texas.

Source: Author AlexT781

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Questions		Choices
1. Common swift		Porphyrio porphyrio
2. Loggerhead turtle		Vulpes vulpes
3. Southern cassowary		Mola mola
4. Ocean sunfish		Meles meles
5. Spotted hyena		Caretta caretta
6. Red fox		Axis axis
7. Western swamphen		Apus apus
8. South American coati		Casuarius casuarius
9. European badger		Nasua nasua
10. Spotted deer		Crocuta crocuta