A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
Quiz | Easy like Sunday morning: Into the wild
In Central America, these white faced monkeys, also called carablanca, are ubiquitous.
1 / 10 |
The Binturong or bearcat is an endangered species of mammal found in Southeast Asia. Its urine releases a compound called 2-AP, which has the same smell as something you would encounter in a movie theatre. What movie theatre delectable has this smell, which usually foreshadows that entertainment is coming?
2 / 10 |
This particular species of shrimp is a most efficient hunter, thanks to its disproportionately large claws that resemble a weapon invented in the 16th century. It sports a ‘hammer’ that when released, creates an enormously powerful wave of bubbles that stuns its prey and even breaks aquariums. Named after this weapon, what is this powerful shrimp known as?
3 / 10 |
This family of monkeys is shown onscreen a lot, including the monkey Marcel from Friends. They get their name from the fact that their facial colours resemble an order of Catholic monks who wear brown robes with hoods. The same order is also responsible for the name of a type of coffee, which has equal amounts of espresso, steamed milk, and foam. What monkeys are these?
4 / 10 |
The scientific name for this popular animal is camelopardalis. It comes from its Ancient Greek name, which refers to its shape (a desert animal) and skin-pattern (a jungle animal). What animal is this, that a few years back was discovered to have four species?
5 / 10 |
In the 1950s and 60s, Russia and the United States were in competition to send things into space. Dogs, monkeys and even jellyfish were sent into sub-orbital space. In 1968, the Russians were the first to send two animals onboard the spacecraft Zond 5 to orbit the Moon, before safely bringing them back to Earth. What animals were these, that at one time were travelling at 25,000 kmph, whereas on Earth, they are historically known for doing the opposite?
6 / 10 |
In all animals, it’s the female of the species who gives birth, except in one case: in this marine species, the male has a pouch-like uterus into which the female inserts the eggs. For the next 24 days, the father incubates the eggs, provides them with nutrients and eventually, gives birth. Which animal is this, whose name hippocampus is Greek for ‘bent horse’?
7 / 10 |
All animals evolved to eat the right way up, so that gravity could help push the food down. There is only one animal that has to eat with its head upside down. This is because it developed bristles on its top beak to filter out mud and water that gets sucked in with the food. If it ate the right way up, it wouldn’t be able to use the filter. What animal is this, whose colour comes from what it eats?
8 / 10 |
A Grolar or Pizzly is a rare, unique-looking animal that has existed in North America since 2006. It is genetically confirmed to be the hybrid of two species that split thousands of years ago. These two species rarely meet in the wild, and the occurrence of the hybrid has been attributed to a single female of their species. Which two species make up this hybrid?
9 / 10 |
These animals are so weird that zoologists initially thought they were being pranked. They are mammals but have a gullet; they exude electrical impulses like fish, have venomous spurs like reptiles, webbed feet like amphibians, lay eggs like birds and glow under UV light like party goers. What wacky animal is this, that when wearing a hat is called ‘Perry’?
10 / 10 |
Turritopsis dohrnii is a species of tiny jellyfish found in oceans all around the world. It has an extraordinary ability to revert to a larval stage after having become a free-swimming adult. This ability has led to scientists to give it what name, which almost sounds like a cartoon villain?
