Rockin' Around the Reef! Quiz | Animals by Region

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. They come in many colours, everything from strawberry red, through shades of orange and green, to the bluish black ones you find on the sandy bottom near the reef. They're tubular, and they live on the sea floor. You don't want to stand on one, but what are they called?

Answer: Sea cucumbers

There is something vaguely disquieting about these creatures - maybe it's the just the way they look. Maybe it's the way some species can expel their insides if threatened. Or it's the fact that they "breathe" through their anus. Yet they're edible, and apparently enjoyed in many cuisines from South-East Asian to French.

2. This looks more like a plant than an animal, sitting on the coral and waving its many tentacles, hoping that some unwary denizen of the reef might come too close. What is the name of this close relative of the corals themselves?

Answer: Sea anemones

Sea anemones are cnidarians, along with jellyfish, corals, and hydrae. Their insides are jelly, and they have a mouth surrounded by stinging tentacles (though unlike some of their relatives these won't hurt people). They're stuck to the rocks (or coral, or shell, or whatever) with a sticky foot called a pedal disk. And in case you're wondering... the sea anemone's mouth is also its anus!

3. These creatures have a central disc with five arms evenly spaced. Some of the ones seen on coral reefs are bright blue and bigger than usual, growing up to 30cm in diameter. What are they called?

Answer: Starfish

The particular species described is the blue sea star (Linckia laevigata), which is widespread across the Pacific. Of course, the coolest thing about starfish is the way they can regenerate missing arms, an ability scientists would love to develop in humans.

4. Looking like a spiky black koosh ball, sitting on the sandy bottom, or nesting in the reef, these creatures are quite a delicacy among the islanders. What are they?

Answer: Sea urchins

Closely related to sea cucumbers, sea urchins are in the same phylum as starfish, the echinoderms. The sea urchin is called kina in Cook Island Māori, and has been eaten by humans since prehistoric times. However, be careful, because some species carry venom in the Pedicellariae between the spines, and you really don't want to stand on one of those!

5. They come in many sizes, and different colours. The reef is one of their favourite places to roam, and they all have eight arms, all covered in suckers. What is one called?

Answer: Octopus

There are over three hundred species of octopus, and some species can reach our 4m from armtip to armtip. Most species are much smaller. Octopuses are also believed to be the smartest of invertebrates. I'll never forget swimming in the Muri Beach lagoon off Rarotonga, and how our guide dived into the deep water between the coral heads with a stick, and came up with an octopus wrapped around it. You could say that it got suckered!

6. In spite of his size, this critter is very reclusive, and likes to hide in between the coral heads. What is the name of this long slender animal?

Answer: Moray eel

The moray eels include the biggest species of eel, the slender giant moray, which grows to 4m long, and the giant moray, which can weigh over 36kg. They're actually scared of humans, but they do have a nasty bite, because their teeth face backward and are infested with bacteria. Morays are predators, but they're nocturnal, so you're not likely to see one. I think I might have spotted a small one, once.

7. This little fish is bright orange, with broad white stripes, edged with black, and it might surprise you to hear that it's probably not lost. So, what kind of fish is it?

Answer: Clownfish

Probably the most popular denizen of the reef, ever since "Finding Nemo" hit the screens, the clownfish lives inside sea anemones, having developed a mutually beneficial relationship. The clownfish gets leftovers to eat, and protection. The anemone gets cleaned, rotting debris is removed, and it also gets, well, fishy fertilizer.

8. You might think this fish is somewhat confused and a bit of a ditz, but you would recognise it easily. It is bright royal blue with darker blue markings and a bright yellow (surprisingly not orange) triangular flash on the tail. Which of these fish is it?

Answer: Blue tang

Children call the blue tang a "dory fish" because the character Dory in "Finding Nemo" is a blue tang (paracanthurus hepatus, sometimes called the regal tang). In fact, a dory is a type of fish, but not all resembling a blue tang, being a lot bigger, silvery coloured, quite spiky - and, at least in the case of the John Dory, quite delicious. Blue tangs are not edible, they eat plankton and algae, and can grow up to 31 cm long - but all the ones I ever saw were much smaller.

9. These are some of the prettiest fish on the reef. They have disc-shaped bodies with black, white and yellow stripes, an arrow-shaped tail, and a long trailing dorsal fin.

Answer: Moorish idol

I always thought they were called angelfish, but though there are lots of different kinds of angelfish on the reef, this is not one of them. The Moorish idol is very widespread, and gets its name from the Moors of Africa, who are said to believe that this fish brings happiness. It certainly does to those snorkelling tourists who are lucky enough to see one!

10. This is one of the top predators on the reef. It has a long slender body, and a broad head, filled with lots of teeth, like all its kind. Few grow longer than 1.6m, and they rarely attack humans. What is this fish?

Answer: Whitetip reef shark

There are three main species of reef shark seen in the Pacific Islands, the whitetip reef shark, the blacktip reef shark, and the grey reef shark. It is one of the smaller species of shark, unlike the tiger shark, which can grow more than twice as long. The bull shark is a much more aggressive species, and the angel shark has a wide flat body, looking more like a skate or a ray. Reef sharks are unafraid of humans, but are not likely to attack, unless you happen to be out spear fishing, and the shark wants your catch!

Source: Author Flamis

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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Rockin' Around the Reef! Trivia Quiz

There are few more beautiful places on Earth than the coral reefs of the Pacific. Let's dive in and see what cool critters we can find there on that amazing coral reef.

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