More Cruising Through The Amazon Jungle Quiz

Answer: Howler Monkey

Male howler monkeys typically call at dusk and dawn, as well as at various times throughout the day. Scientists believe that the purpose of howling is to protect territory and/or their mates. According to the "Guinness Book of World Records", the calls can be heard for as far away as three miles! The other choices were found on a list of the ten loudest animals on earth, featured in "Australian Geographic".

Answer: Turtle

A mata mata is a freshwater turtle found in the Amazon Basin. It can grow as long as 18 inches and weigh up to 33 pounds. The odd appearance is believed to serve as camouflage against predators, making it look like a log or piece of bark.

Answer: Birds

An early picture showed the Goliath birdeater, the largest spider by mass, eating a hummingbird, however, it apparently does not prey on birds often, preferring to eat earthworms and toads. Unlike other species of spiders, the female Goliath birdeater does not kill the male after mating, although the male does have a much shorter life span than the female, who can live 15-25 years. Males die soon after they reach maturity at 3-6 years.

Answer: Nose

The proboscis, or nose, of a tapir is very flexible, allowing it to reach food that it may otherwise not be able to reach. It is also used in the "flehmen response", where they raise their snout and bare their teeth to detect scents. Among the different species, Brazilian tapirs have the shortest snout.

Answer: Glass Frog

Most glass frogs have lime green skin; the area around the abdomen is somewhat translucent, making it possible to see its heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. Living along river and streams, they deposit eggs on the leaves of trees. When they hatch, the tadpoles simply fall into the water.

Answer: Blood

Three species of the vampire bat only will eat blood - although it is very rarely the blood of humans that they seek! They seem to prefer the blood of birds and goats. Feeding at night, the bat will make a small incision on a warm place on the skin of the host, and lap up the blood. Vampire bat saliva has a special property that keeps the blood from clotting, which would, of course, end its meal too soon!

Answer: Piranha

Really, it is unlikely that splashing one's hand in the water will result in a piranha attack, but in Amazonia one can't been too careful. While there have been attacks that resulted in death, there are many misconceptions regarding said attacks. The piranha is not attracted by blood, and although splashing may invite a visit, it usually results in a nip or bite rather than a fatal attack.

Answer: Toucan

While the bill of a toucan can measure more than half the length of its body, it is very light. The large beak enables a toucan to reach far into the tree-holes, and raid nests of other birds; in addition, scientists today believe that it may help the toucan regulate its body temperature. Although the toucan mostly eats fruit, it has also been known to eat lizards, eggs, and insects.

Answer: Giant Anteater

Different species of anteaters enjoy different foods; however, they all dine on some sort of insect. The giant anteater in the picture enjoys both ants and termites, and has quite a hearty appetite. It may have to visit over two hundred nests to find enough insects to appease its appetite, however, and it usually adopts a "lick and go" attack so that it can avoid stings and bites from the insects, making its visit to each nest rather brief.

Answer: Iguana

The "third eye" on an iguana is actually a light-sensing organ; it does not, however, enable the iguana to see more. It helps the creature to sense brightness. Iguanas are known to have fantastic vision, and can see shapes, colors, and movement even in the dense jungle. They also use visual signals to communicate with each other!