Mammals and Marsupials!
Mammals are classified by what trait?
Mammals give birth to live young. (I don't have a fun fact for this one. That's it. Mammals give birth to live young.)
Which well-known amphibian breathes through gills on it's head?
Axolotl! (Not so Fun Fact! Axolotls are extremely endangered, and they only naturally exist in the canals and wetlands of Lake Xochimilco in the southern part of Mexico City.
How many species of snakes reside naturally in Australia? Estimate within thirty and I'll give you the points.
Australia has roughly 220 snake species. (Fun fact! about 145 of their 220 species of snake are venomous!)
True or false: Budgies and Parakeets are different birds.
True! Budgies are a very specific type of parakeet, formally called a Budgerigar. (Fun Fact! Budgies and Parakeets are among the most common birds that people choose to have as pets!)
What is the most common insect in the world?
The ant! (Fun fact! Some instances of fire ant bites can cause anaphylaxis!)
True or false: Echidnas and platypuses are mammals.
True! Echidnas and Platypuses are a part of the class mammalia, but their order is monotreme. (Fun Fact! Monotremes are the only mammals that lay eggs rather than bearing live young!)
Which frogs/toads can secrete a poisonous substance from their skin? Name three. (they can be of the same general 'genus'.)
Any dart frog, Colorado River Toad, Amazon Milk Frog. (Fun Fact! Colorado River Toads' toxins are known to cause psychedelic effects on the inflicted!)
True or false: Anoles can change color.
True! Some species of anole are known to change colors under circumstances like high stress, environmental changes such as temperature or humidity, and hormonal changes. (Fun Fact! Some people call anoles 'american chameleons', though they aren't true chameleons.)
Birds have an epic vision-super power; what is it?
Birds can perceive ultraviolet light, as can most other birds! (Fun fact! Birds have four color receptors, and humans only have three! This makes them tetrachromats, while we are trichromats.)
What is the largest wasp in the world?
The Giant Tarantula Hawk Wasp, or the Asian Giant Hornet! (some websites are divided.) (Fun Fact- no. nope. these things are disgusting in every way GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME)
Blue whales are the largest animal to ever exist, but how big are they really?
Blue whales can reach up to the length of three school buses! (Fun fact! A blue whale mother will stay with her young for up to 8 months, the 8th month being the month she begins to ween them away.)
True or false: Amphibians are endothermic.
False! Amphibians are ectothermic, which means cold blooded. Endothermic means warm blooded!
Fun fact: There is only one island that a very specific species of reptile is known to naturally exist; what is the animal, and the name of the island?
Komodo dragon, and komodo island. (Fun Fact! Komodo dragons are highly venomous, and often wait for their prey to die on their own from a bit rather than kill them directly!)
True or false: The Andean Condor is the fastest bird in the world.
False! The fastest bird in the world is the Peregrine Falcon, reaching speeds up to 240 mph! (Fun Fact! The Adean Condor is the largest bird in the world!)
Which insect is known for it's flower-like appearance?
Orchid mantis! (Fun Fact! Orchid mantises 'petals' can change from pink to brown to mimic its surroundings!)
What is the collective noun for a group of giraffes?
A tower. (Fun Fact! Giraffes have the same amount of neck vertebrae as we do (7), just larger and elongated!)
What is the name of the largest salamander in North America?
Hellbender Salamander. (Fun Fact! Hellbender Salamanders are also called Snot Otters, and can live up to 25 years!)
What is the most venomous snake in the world?
The Inland Taipan, living in Australia. (Fun Fact! There are three different types of taipan; coastal taipan, inland taipan, and the central ranges taipan, all of which live in Australia!)
Name three pink birds! - cannot be a housepet.
Roseate Spoonbill, Flamingo, Major Mitchells Cockatoo, Common Rosefinch, House Finch, Galah, Scarlet Ibis, Corella, etc. (Fun Fact! Flamingos get their pinkish color from eating krill; they're naturally born white or grey!)
True or false: All insects are bugs.
False! Bugs are classified by piercing-sucking mouthparts (like mosquitoes) and incomplete metamorphosis, though bug in everyday language can be determined as something creepy and crawly.
We all know that kangaroos are marsupials, but what are five other species of marsupial?
Opossums, Wallabies, Quokka, Tasmanian devil, Koala, Greater Bilby, Cuscus, Wombat, Numbat, Sugar Glider, etc.
What is the most likely attribute of an amphibian living in a consistently dark place, such as a cave?
Blindness/visual sense loss, and loss of pigmentation. (Fun Fact! The Olm is the only exclusively cave-dwelling chordate species in Europe!)
True or false: The Basilisk can actually walk on water, like a human may walk on land.
Ehhh... Trick question. Basilisk lizards can only 'walk on water' if they're running at high speeds, due to air bubbles created by their feet hitting the water. So technically no, they cannot do it like we walk on land, but with the right circumstances, they can do it! This is a free points question.
How many different types of feathers does the average bird have?
Six! Contour, downy feathers, semiplume, filoplume, bristle, and flight feathers.
(Fun fact! Feathers are known to have little microscopic barbs to keep the material in place. This is why when you pinch and run your fingers along a feather, they go back into place!)
What is the largest beetle in the world?
The Hercules Beetle! (Fun Fact! a male hercules beetle is known to reach up to 7 inches long, including their horns!)