Q1. The genus derives it’s name from the Latinization of the generic Sanskrit term used for the entire species (suborder, to be precise). One of the most famous members of this species is in fact somewhat falsely named as it belongs to a different genus. ID the class of animals that is being talked about here.
[ Right answer given below ]Cobras
Q2. In the 16th century, Europeans learned about X from merchants returning from Indonesia with trade skins – which were beautiful, prepared skins without feet or other parts. This led to the belief that X lived their entire lives floating in the air, feeding on dew, and never landing until they died, hence their name. X?
[ Right answer given below ]Birds of Paradise
Q3. This is the lesser favored method of hunting for the fish pictured below. It gets it’s common name from the (phenomenally accurate, if I may) predation technique that it predominantly employs. ID.
[ Right answer given below ]
Archer Fish
Q4. Siblicide among birds often involves the oldest chick killing a younger nestmate, typically triggered by food scarcity. When food is plentiful, it's rare, but it becomes common when food is scarce. This indicates that only a few chicks are necessary for species survival, while additional offspring act as insurance against the loss of the oldest. What is this syndrome commonly known as?
[ Right answer given below ]Cain - Abel
Q5. Algonquins called wolverines and martens wuchaq while the Ojibwa and Cree called them otcheg/otchek. The colonists (during fur trades, presumably) misunderstood this and instead used an Anglicized version for which utterly harmless (and cute) creature?
[ Right answer given below ]Woodchuck
Q6. Theories behind origins of the name of this animal include: (French) it’s fondness for chicken (Old/Middle English) foul smelling Marten - leading to the previously used name Foumart. ID.
[ Right answer given below ]
Polecat
Q7. Twice over the last decade, there was a flurry of hits on Merriam-Webster’s website relating to the etymology of a word. Once in 2018 when Delia Owens released her book and then in 2022 after the (okay-ish) film adaptation. ID the creature (pictured) whose local name led to all these searches.
[ Right answer given below ]
Crayfish
Q8. Behavioral Biologist Ronald Maurer explains this tendency common across many species of animals and birds (especially the social ones) as being built into their ‘societal’ structure as a mechanism to trigger happy hormones (e.g. oxytocin) and avoid in-fights. What action/tendency (particularly attractive to us, animal lovers) am I talking about?
[ Right answer given below ]Cuddling
Q9. The saliva of the birds pictured below when mixed with boiling water forms a gelatinous texture with mild salty/briny taste. Mixed with rock sugar and/or milk, or chicken broth and ham, it forms a dish which has been enjoyed for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. What delicacy am I talking about?
[ Right answer given below ]
Birds Nest Soup
Q10. This map shows the general migration pathway of which record holding species?
[ Right answer given below ]
Arctic Tern
Q11. Ohio – Buckeye Chuck, West Virginia – West Creek, Freddie Quebec – Fred la Marmotte, Alberta – Balzac Billy, Long Island – Great Neck Greta, Pennsylvania - ?
[ Right answer given below ]Punxsutawney Phil
Q12. The Pacygnatha X is a species of long-jawed orb-weaver spiders who have a distinctive pattern on their underbelly (pictured below). This led to it being named after which famous personality?
[ Right answer given below ]
Frank Zappa
Q13. This creature has one of the most fascinating visual systems in the world. Their eyes have 16 types of photoreceptors (humans only have 4) and can see in the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums, as well as, polarized light. ID
[ Right answer given below ]
Mantis Shrimp
Q14. The diet of this creature determines how ‘dangerous’ it can be and also accounts for the variability found across species. A diet of predominantly ants, centipedes, mites, and other arthropods leads to a more potent defense barrier as compared to a diet of crickets (which is more common in captive breeding). What creature am I talking about?
[ Right answer given below ]Poison Dart Frog
Q15. The conical, nipple-like teeth (shown below) of this extinct animal led to its naming. ID the giant this belonged to.
[ Right answer given below ]
Mastodon
Q16. In the Tintin comic, which creature featured on the seal of the kingdom of Syldavia as well as on the Ottokar’s sceptre?
[ Right answer given below ]Pelican
Q17. The Diprotodon was a marsupial herbivore that lived in Australia in the Pleistocene era. Fossils of this creature is touted (by the American Museum of Natural History) as one of the origins behind which cryptid? Hint: Bengalis should especially be familiar with this creature.
[ Right answer given below ]
Bunyip
Q18. Which deadly delicacy is responsible for creating these underwater crop circles as part of their mating ritual?
[ Right answer given below ]
Puffer fish
Q19. The jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii, has a superpower – it can revert back from a sexually mature form to an immature form for an indefinite number of times. What nickname has been given to this creature because of this?
[ Right answer given below ]Immortal Jellyfish
Q20. A X attack is a type of spear-phishing attack, where the attacker pretends to be a known and trusted entity, and often targets a high ranking individual within an organization (e.g., CEO, President, etc.). X?
[ Right answer given below ]Whaling