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Quiz about The Dark Side of the Animal World

The Dark Side of the Animal World Quiz

The animal world is an amazing place and this quiz is a look at the darker side of animal behaviour.

A multiple-choice quiz by ClaudiaCat. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
ClaudiaCat

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
363,004

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
2045

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: H53 (7/10), woodychandler (10/10), Guest 207 (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Weddell seal inhabits the coldest parts of the Antarctica, living beneath thick sheets of ice, able to dive deeper and longer than whales, gain air through breathing holes, plus they are able to stay submerged for over an hour at a time. They are solitary animals that breed once a year. They fight for a space on ice aggressively. The female has one pup per year and she stays with the pup completely for the first two weeks of its life. What does the female do to the pup when it is eight weeks old? Hint

Nothing

Takes it swimming under the ice

Leaves it to fend for itself

Introduces it to her mate

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Black widow spiders are known for killing their mates. What other cannibalistic trait do they have? Hint

None

Male eats the young

When the young hatch, they eat each other

Young eats the female

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Given that the scientific name of the Jaguar is Panthera onca, and the scientific name of the leopard is Panthera pardus, what do you think the scientific name for a black panther (as in Bagheera from "The Jungle Book" (1968)) would be? Hint

Panthera pardus

Panthera onca

Panthera pardus melanistic

Panthera onca mela

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Sand tiger sharks inhabits subtropical and temperate climates. What cannibalistic trait does it have? Hint

The males eat the females

The adult sharks eat each other

Whilst in the womb, the first embryo to emerge eats the other embryos

They eat the young as soon as they are born

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. The everyday average chicken, which lots of us have as egg laying pets in the backyard, can exhibit some dark behaviour. What could this dark behaviour be? Hint

Eat their own eggs if they are lacking in calcium

It is called a pecking order for a reason

Nothing

The males kill the females

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. It is thought that lemmings commit mass suicide, hundreds at a time by running off cliffs to certain death below. Why do they exhibit this behaviour? Hint

They do not. Lemming mass suicide is a myth

They mindlessly follow the leader who makes a wrong turn

To regulate their population

They have poor eye sight

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Some species of horned lizard (Phrynosoma Spp.) have a bizarre way of dissuading would-be predators. What is this mechanism? Hint

They rear up on their hind legs to intimidate attackers

They can shoot an aimed stream of blood 1.5 m towards their attacker

They have a high pitched prolonged wail that keeps attackers at bay

They have sharp claws to run up the nearest tree

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. The golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis) is very poisonous, so much so that it may be considered the most poisonous animal on earth. How so? Hint

It has large poison sacs just behind the eyes

It has an alkaloid poison it secretes from skin glands

It has fangs like a snake to inject poison into the attacker

It has poison stored in its liver, so if eaten it kills the attacker

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Zorillas are found in the savannahs of Africa and are a member of the Mustelidae family. They are territorial animals that mark their ground with feces. In addition to this, they have another defense mechanism. What is it? Hint

A poisoned dew claw

Large claws

Spraying from stink glands

A poisoned bite

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Pufferfish are highly toxic, in fact the second most toxic animal on the planet. Japanese chefs must be specially trained in the preparation, because a slip of a knife can kill a customer. What are pufferfish called on a Japanese menu? Hint

Flake

Fugu

Calamari

Tunny

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 18 2024 : H53: 7/10
Nov 05 2024 : woodychandler: 10/10
Oct 29 2024 : Guest 207: 7/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Leaves it to fend for itself

At eight weeks old the female seal leaves the pup and joins her mate, leaving the pup to fend for itself. The Weddell Seal needs to eat large amounts of food to maintain a large layer of blubber. They mainly eat fish but will also dine on krill, squid and penguins.

2. Black widow spiders are known for killing their mates. What other cannibalistic trait do they have?

Answer: When the young hatch, they eat each other

The female lays three to four sacs, each with around 250 eggs, which she protects aggressively. From about 1,000 eggs usually only a dozen survive after incubation as the young eat each other.

Answer: Panthera pardus

The black panther is either a black jaguar or a black leopard. It is not a separate species but a melanistic (i.e. black colouring) form of the same animal. Given that "The Jungle Book" was set in India, Bagheera would be a leopard as jaguars are a South American animal whereas leopards are African and found in the hotter parts of Asia.

4. Sand tiger sharks inhabits subtropical and temperate climates. What cannibalistic trait does it have?

Answer: Whilst in the womb, the first embryo to emerge eats the other embryos

The female sand tiger shark has two uteri and within each there are many embryos formed. The stronger embryo eats the other embryos and then eats the unfertilised eggs whilst inside the womb. The female will then give birth two infant sharks, each one metre long.

5. The everyday average chicken, which lots of us have as egg laying pets in the backyard, can exhibit some dark behaviour. What could this dark behaviour be?

Answer: Eat their own eggs if they are lacking in calcium

When chickens do not receive enough calcium they will peck and eat their own eggs to gain the required amount of calcium. Ensuring your chickens are given appropriate food groups will ensure this trait does not happen.

The pecking order is to be the boss of the flock.

Male chickens will fight each other for dominance.

6. It is thought that lemmings commit mass suicide, hundreds at a time by running off cliffs to certain death below. Why do they exhibit this behaviour?

Answer: They do not. Lemming mass suicide is a myth

Lemmings are a group of heterogeneous rodents that span four genera. Two of their species, Norway lemming (Lemmus lemmus) and brown lemming (L.sibirius) breed so rapidly that they do have to control or regulate their population. They do this by dispersing, and occasionally one may fall off a cliff or drown because of unfamiliarity of location.

However, according to the urban legend site (www.snopes.com), the perception can be traced back to a 1958 Disney documentary, "White Wilderness" where the mass suicide was staged using a few dozen lemming caught by Inuit children.

7. Some species of horned lizard (Phrynosoma Spp.) have a bizarre way of dissuading would-be predators. What is this mechanism?

Answer: They can shoot an aimed stream of blood 1.5 m towards their attacker

Horned lizards shoot a stream of blood out of their eyes by restricting blood flow back to the heart. This builds up blood pressure and increases pressure in the sinuses which eventually collapse the sinuses so the blood stream (literally) can be aimed and released. The "shot" blood tastes foul to dogs, cats, thereby warning these species against proceeding any further.

8. The golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis) is very poisonous, so much so that it may be considered the most poisonous animal on earth. How so?

Answer: It has an alkaloid poison it secretes from skin glands

Before all the Aussies start jumping up and down about how we have 9/10 of the most venomous creatures on earth AND the most venomous - the inland taipan, there is a difference between poisonous and venomous. Phyllobates terribilis is found on the Pacific coast of Colombia. Unlike venomous animals which have a delivery mechanism such as spines or fangs (Ahh!) poisonous animals passively transfer their poison to the attacker. One mg of poison will kill 15-20 adult humans.

Answer: Spraying from stink glands

Zorilla, or striped polecat, is able to spray its enemies via an anal spray much like a skunk. The spray temporarily blinds the enemy and leaves it with an intense burning sensation.

Answer: Fugu

Pufferfish are generally considered to be the second most poisonous vertebrate after the golden poison frog. The poison is concentrated in the liver, ovaries and eyes. The poison paralyses the muscles, and therefore the diner cannot breathe and will die from asphyxiation. There is no antidote. The Japanese call pufferfish fugu (literally "river pig"). Only chefs who have had rigorous training and have been certified are allowed to prepare pufferfish. Domestic preparation has led to occasional deaths.

Fugu can be prepared in numerous ways, but you would not catch me eating it!

Source: Author ClaudiaCat

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Tizzabelle before going online.
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