All Things Red Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tomato frog

Tomato frogs (Dyscophus antongilii), also known as Madagascar red toads, can vary in colour from yellow to red, with the smaller males (two to three inches) not as brightly coloured as the larger (four inches) females. When threatened, their skin exudes a toxin that will numb a predator's mouth and eyes, but it is not dangerous to humans beyond allergic reactions.

Answer: Scarlet ibis

There has been some debate regarding the distinction of Eudocimus ruber within the taxonomy as it is virtually identical to Eudocimus albus (American white ibis), excepting its pigmentation. The argument to define them as separate stems from the fact that there is almost zero crossbreeding between them... there has been some observed in regions where their habitats cross over, but very minimal.

The scarlet ibis is a protected species found in the Caribbean and through much of the coastal regions of the northern part of South America. It is the only shorebird with red coloration to be found in the world, and perhaps it has to do with its habitat. As juveniles, the scarlet ibis is typically a mix of grey, brown, and white, but its predilection for red crustaceans provides the coloring as it grows.

Answer: Ladybird beetle

Ladybird beetles are of the family Coccinellidae, which is from the Latin word 'coccineus', which means 'scarlet'. Most of the different species within the family are considered benign insects in that they like to eat agricultural pests like aphids and scale insects. There are more than 6,000 different described species of Coccinellids found around the globe.

Interestingly, the origin of the name goes back to a reference to Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was often depicted as wearing a red cloak in paintings. The most common variety of the beetle in Europe had seven spots, which were said to symbolize Mary's seven joys and seven sorrows - thus, the 'Our Lady's bird' beetle.

Answer: False

The western scorpionfish has the binomial name of Scorpaena onaria, and is part of the larger family Scorpaenidae that includes between 222 and 388 species, depending on who's telling (see Wikipedia page).

Found throughout the world in tropical and temperate saltwater, scorpionfish are so-called due to the many sharp spines that are coated with a mucus-like venom. But they don't have a barbed tail.

Answer: Asian red weasel

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is endemic to the temperate forested regions of the Himalayas including parts of China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Bhutan and Burma. While it carries the name 'panda', it is not related to the famed 'giant panda'. It is the only animal of the genus Ailurus and the family Ailuridae, and at species level is divided into distinct species - the Chinese red panda and the Himalayan red panda. It is approximately the size of a domestic cat (albeit a bit longer).

These beautiful creatures do enjoy bamboo, but will also eat birds and eggs and insects. They are largely solitary animals (until mating season), and there are an estimated 10,000 individuals in the wild, putting them on the IUCN endangered list.

Answer: freshwater

Hailing from Taiwan, Neocaridina davidi have a green-brown natural colouring, with various colour morphs from breeding for sale. Full-grown, they reach about 4 cm (1.6 in) in length and will live one to two years.

Depending on aquarium lighting and the colour of the background and substrate, the shrimp's colouring can change. In a light background, they can become pale or translucent, while a darker background will bring out the shrimp's full colouring.

Answer: North America

Northern cardinals range from eastern Canada in the north down to Guatemala and Belize to the south. The other two cardinal species can be found in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico (desert cardinal) and in Colombia and Venezuela (vermilion cardinal).

Northern cardinals are songbirds that enjoy seeds best, but will also dine on insects and select fruits. The male is a bright crimson (with a black mask) that is slightly larger than the olive-red female (with a gray mask).

Answer: Eastern newt

The eastern newt is found in the eastern United States and is a popular terrarium pet. It has three stages to its development, with the 'red eft' being the middle, juvenile stage.

They begin with the larval / tadpole stage (about three months), complete with gills, and stay in the pond environment until they grow into the juvenile stage. At this 'red eft' stage, their skin colour acts as a warning to potential predators - eastern newts produce a tetrodotoxin as a defense mechanism. They also tend to travel widely to different ponds during this stage, which helps keep a strong population. After two to three years, the red eft transforms into the aquatic adult, which is typically coloured a dull olive green with a yellow belly.

Answer: False

While both varieties of red squirrel are within the family Sciuridae (as are all squirrels), they are from different genera.

The Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), as the name suggests, is found through Europe and Asia in boreal, coniferous and temperate broadleaf forests. While named 'red', their colouration varies and typically darkens during the winter months. They spend much of their time foraging and storing food in caches for the lean winter months.

Conversely, the American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is one of three species within the genus Tamiasciurus. It is slightly smaller than its overseas cousins, and while many habits are similar, the American red squirrel is more territorial in nature.

Answer: Yellow crazy ants

Christmas Island red crabs (also found on the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands) are large land crabs that grow up to about 11 cm (4.5 in) wide in their main carapace. They are diurnal, but avoid direct sunlight to prevent from drying out.

At one time, the estimated population (just on Christmas Island) numbered over 43 million, but the (unintentional) introduction of the yellow crazy ant has seen that population drop by 15 million, with the remaining population still under attack. Their story has been told in more than one documentary.