Now That's a Beguiling Beastie! Quiz

Answer: moonrat

The moonrat is a true omnivore. These rat-like creatures have been known to eat fish, frogs, nuts, berries, any invertebrate they can find, and fruit. Although not yet an endangered species, they face a potential threat from de-forestation. Aardvarks have a pig-like nose, but they're native to Africa. Moonrats the band? Fronted by Nathan Thelen, they were started in Seattle in 2007.

Answer: Proboscis monkey

Male proboscis monkeys have to push their noses out of the way to eat. Although the female herself has a pretty big nose in relation to her face, it is dwarfed by the male's huge honker, which is believed to be a sexual attractant. Contrary to popular belief, the Latin "Proboscis" does not mean "nose." It means "to feed forward;" therefore, an elephant's trunk qualifies as a "proboscis." Generally speaking, any large appendage at the front of the face qualifies as a proboscis.

Answer: Tasmanian devil

The muscular Tasmanian devil, whose powerful head and jaws allow it to deliver the strongest bite of any living mammal, also eats carrion; they have been known to steal food from people's houses, too. It was nicknamed "devil" because of its terrifying high-pitched shriek. "Taz," the WB cartoon character, now draws tourists to Tasmania.

Answer: okapi

The okapi is a solitary creature, and was unknown to the Western scientific establishment until Henry Stanley, in his African travelogues, mentioned a cloven-hoofed, donkey-like creature with zebra legs. This spurred the curiosity of Harry Johnston, the British governor of Uganda, who did a study on the creature.

When the okapi was officially classified in 1901, it was given the name okapia johnstoni. A kepi is a hat; a koi is a fish. O'Leary? She owned a cow; you know how that turned out.

Answer: Giant petrel

Giant petrels are both predators and scavengers, and have been known to measure a good six feet across the wings. Their stomachs produce a thick strong-smelling oil, which, oddly enough, they themselves eat on long flights and feed to their chicks. Other birds avoid the giant petrel because the vomited oil makes their feathers less waterproof. Even after decades in a museum, giant petrel eggs still stink.

Answer: slimehead

The orange roughy used to be known as the slimehead, because of the mucus canals that crisscross its head, which scientists say help fight off infections floating around in their natural element. The mucus also aids in combating toxins secreted by more powerful predators.

However, change the name and - presto - you've increased the demand. Unfortunately, the slimehead/roughy has a slow reproductive rate, so overfishing may lead to future extinction.

Answer: hoopoe

The nesting female hoopoe's preening (or uropygial) gland produces a foul-smelling liquid which she rubs into her feathers; this not only deters intruders, but also aids in fighting bacteria. The young nestlings, if under attack, squirt their feces. (And you thought only chimps flung their poo!) In Leviticus 11 as well as Deuteronomy 14 (KJ,NKJ) the hoopoe is listed as a NON-kosher bird. (Any wonder to that?)

Answer: Jewel wasp

Sensitive lad that I am, I can't read about this gruesome process without wincing. It's truly and horrifyingly brutal. The wasp incapacitates the cockroach's instinct to escape, and after the wasp's egg is laid, the developing wasp larva eats into the cockroach, takes up residence inside its body, and gradually devours the cockroach from the inside out.

When the larva becomes a pupa, the cockroach finally - mercifully! - buys the farm. A fate worse than death! I do hope none of you picked the bankster worm; he devours the American economy from the inside out!

Answer: snailfish

Go to Wikipedia.com and take a look at this thing! Pretty color but definitely yucky to the touch. According to Wikipedia, it is smooth and lacking scales, and "[t]he extensive dorsal and anal fins may merge or nearly merge with the tail fin." Not many moving parts there. It is a simple creature but apparently highly adaptive.

Answer: coelacanth

Hey, humans! This is the coelacanth speaking. The joke's on you - twice! First, you thought I was dead and I wasn't; second, my only "use" is my scientific value, because my oil-soaked tissues give my flesh a terrible taste. Annoyingly so, however, I'm not laughing. I can only live in deep water, and deep-sea trawling may mean the REAL end of me.