What in the World is a Nittany Lion? Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What mysterious sea creature, which has the Latin name of Vampyroteuthis infernalis, has long been considered a carnivorous beast of the deep, at least until it was discovered to be just the opposite, as it does not actually kill its prey, preferring to snack on dead plankton and other marine detritus instead?

Answer: Vampire squid

Vampyroteuthis infernalis is the Latin name for the vampire squid, which, when literally translated, means 'vampire squid from hell'. However this creature actually behaves nothing like its name suggests, as it eats only that which is already dead. In fact, it has been proven to be the only cephalopod not to hunt for living prey, and instead lives off, among other things, the remains of plankton and salps.

2. What black and white waterbird, which prefers the colder climes of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, forgoes the use of a traditional treetop nest when breeding, and chooses instead, to precariously lay a single egg on a narrow cliff ledge?

Answer: Thick-billed murre

The thick-billed murre is a medium sized waterbird, with a stout, pointed bill, and is easily differentiated from its thin-billed counterpart by the white stripe that decorates the side of its bill. Incredibly, when the time comes, the female lays a single egg on a cliff ledge, taking great pains to arrange small stones and pebbles around it, to prevent the egg from rolling away.

She then adds a further layer of protection, in the form of faeces, which she uses to glue her makeshift nest together.

3. Which gleeful little bird, which inspired a popular Australian nursery rhyme, sports dark brown wings, a white head and underside and a distinctive brown and black tail, and is also the largest member of the kingfisher family?

Answer: Laughing kookaburra

The laughing kookaburra is a bird native to eastern Australia and was the inspiration for Marion Sinclair's nursery rhyme, "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree". Often referred to as the Australian kingfisher, the bird is also known by the nickname 'bushman's clock', due to its tendency to be vocal early on in the morning, as well as later on in the evening.

A carnivore that can grow to up to 18 inches in size, the laughing kookaburra's beak is well suited to the purpose of plucking invertebrates from the water, and can grow to around four inches in length.

4. Which small, South American primate, which can only be found in the Amazon River basin, is easily identifiable due to its distinctive bright red face, bald head and long, shaggy coat?

Answer: Red uakari

Red uakaris are small, bald monkeys, which are native to the Amazon River basin. With their eye-catching, cherry-red complexions and orange-brown shaggy coats, uakaris are rarely seen alone, as they tend to live in groups, even going so far as to go out to find food together.

However in 2008 their conservation status was altered from near threatened to vulnerable, due to a worrying drop in their numbers.

5. What innocuous looking gastropod has venom which causes instant paralysis, for which there is no known antivenin, and also sports a decorative brown and white shell that is highly coveted by collectors?

Answer: Geographic cone snail

The geographic cone is a carnivorous species of sea snail, which uses its powerful, paralysing venom to stop its prey in its tracks. Like its land counterparts, the geographic cone snail is a slow moving invertebrate and its toxic venom helps ensure that its prey cannot escape. Native to the Indo-Pacific region, it administers its venom via a tooth shaped much like a harpoon.

Moreover there are around 500 known species of cone snails in the world, but it is the geographic cone that is the most venomous, and thus the most deadly.

6. Which agreeable nocturnal mammal, native to the island of Madagascar, has a tail that is longer than its body, and is thought to be the only primate to find its prey through echolocation?

Answer: Aye-aye

The aye-aye is a rare mammal from the island of Madagascar, which has been found to be related to the primates, though on first glance there appears to be no obvious resemblance between them. With its large eyes and ears, and distinctive bushy tail, the aye-aye spends most of its life in the trees, dangling from branches, or using its thin, clawed fingers and toes to keep a hold of the branches it considers home.

7. Which forest-dwelling creature has a coat that changes from winter white to spring brown as the season changes, and also has especially large feet, which, as its name suggests, helps it to travel across particularly harsh, wintry terrain?

Answer: Snowshoe hare

The snowshoe hare is generally found in North America, but can also sometimes be found on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. This hardy little creature has the ingenious ability, from winter through to spring, to morph into a completely different looking animal, as its coat changes from winter white to a contrasting spring brown.

This metamorphosis can take up to ten weeks to occur, and is critical to the species' survival, as it, along with the snowshoe hare's quick speed, helps the creature to avoid and outwit many would be predators, including the fox and lynx, and even the odd bird of prey.

8. Which distinctively patterned, social mammal, whose designs are as unique as a person's fingerprints, will come to the aid of a wounded family member, even going so far as to attempt to drive off its attacker?

Answer: Zebra

Difficult to miss, the zebra is easily recognised by its distinctive coat, which scientists believe may help to confuse predators trying to single one out from the rest of the herd. Indeed one theory suggests that their distinctive pattern helps to distort distance, while another indicates that their unique, individual stripes help the zebras themselves recognise each other.

9. Which graceful antelope, found in the Sudd region of Central Africa, annually joins other migrating mammals, thus creating a stunning natural spectacle fit to rival the mammoth migration of the Serengeti's wildebeests?

Answer: White-eared kob

The white-eared kob is the most distinctive of any kob, in that the ears of its males are entirely white, while those of its females are mostly white. Meanwhile, both sexes have conspicuous, white rings around their eyes, and both start out with coats that are tan and white.

However as the male ages, its coat turns a darker brown, which contrasts against the various white patches located on its body.

10. Which web-footed water lover, also known as 'coypu', or the 'river rat', was originally only found in South America, but, as a direct result of entrepreneurial fur ranchers, made its way to North America, Asia, Africa and Europe?

Answer: Nutria

Nutria, sometimes called 'coypu' and 'river rat', is a water loving rodent which is considered a pest by many, due to its destructive burrowing and feeding habits. A natural swimmer, it can stay underwater for up to five minutes at a time, and while its outer coat appears relatively scruffy and unappealing, its undercoat is quite different, being soft and furry to the touch.

In fact it is the latter point that has made the nutria a target for trappers, who then use their fur for making clothing.

Source: Author poshprice

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor guitargoddess before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Okay, so the Nittany Lion is the mascot of Penn State, but would you have really known that if I hadn't told you? More to the point, how many REAL animals have you never heard of? Let's find out shall we?

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