Irukandji
1. What type of animal causes Irukandji syndrome in northern Australian waters?
Answer: Irukandji jellyfish
1. What body part of the redback spider has the distinctive red stripe?
Answer: The abdomen
2. What is the helmet-like structure on top of a cassowary’s head called?
Answer: A casque
1. Where on a stingray’s body is its venomous barb located?
Answer: On its tail
1. Besides Australia, what nearby country are taipans also found in?
Answer: Papua New Guinea
2. About how big is an Irukandji jellyfish typically compared to a common object?
Answer: A pencil eraser
2. In which country are redback spiders native and commonly found around homes?
Answer: Australia
3. Which parent is responsible for incubating the eggs and raising cassowary chicks?
Answer: The male
2. What type of skeleton do stingrays have instead of bone?
Answer: Cartilage
2. What nickname is commonly given to the inland taipan because of its powerful venom?
Answer: The “fierce snake”
3. What important body measurement often rises dangerously during Irukandji syndrome?
Answer: Blood pressure
3. What unusual behaviour can occur between female and male redback spiders during or after mating?
Answer: The female sometimes eats the male (sexual cannibalism)
4. Why are cassowaries important to rainforest ecosystems?
Answer: They spread seeds from the fruit they eat
3. What defensive action do stingrays usually take when stepped on in shallow water?
Answer: They whip their tail upward and stab with the barb
3. What family of venomous snakes do taipans belong to (the same family as cobras)?
Answer: Elapidae
4. What group of jellyfish do Irukandji belong to that are known for their cube-shaped bodies?
Answer: Box jellyfish (class Cubozoa)
4. Redback spiders are closely related to which famous venomous spider found in North America?
Answer: Black widow spider
5. Which toe on a cassowary’s foot has the large dagger-like claw used for defence?
Answer: The inner (second) toe
4. Which famous Australian wildlife expert died in 2006 after being struck by a stingray barb?
Answer: Steve Irwin
4. What system of the human body is mainly attacked by taipan venom?
Answer: The nervous system
5. Which Australian doctor first described Irukandji syndrome in 1952 after studying the jellyfish?
Answer: Dr Jack Barnes
5. Which major system of the human body is mainly affected by redback spider venom?
Answer: The nervous system
What is the cassowary song? (You have to sing it)
cassowary cassowary better be weary
cassowary cassowary we are scary
we are tough,
legendary
who are we, were cassowary!!!!!!!
5. What strong protein makes up the stingray’s barb and is also found in human hair and nails?
Keratin
5. What small Australian mammal makes up most of the inland taipan’s diet?
Answer: Rats (especially the long-haired rat)