Animals and nature: 45 trivia questions with sources
The bank begins with recognizable animals and life cycles, then reaches into anatomy, behavior, migration, ecology, plant water use, fungi, symbiosis, and survival adaptations.
45 questions · 22 easy, 10 medium, 13 hard · 45 with a source link
Suggested round splits
5 ways to break this category into rounds. The printed sheet keeps the whole list in one run, so split it while you plan rather than while you host.
Familiar animals
Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and common identifying traits.
Bodies and life cycles
Anatomy, reproduction, development, regeneration, and annual growth or shedding.
Movement and behavior
Flight, swimming, migration, feeding, social groups, and resource stealing.
Habitats and relationships
Rainforests, streams, pollination, symbiosis, fungi, and plant roots.
Extreme adaptations
Drying, freezing, desert survival, camouflage, navigation, and unusual physiology.
All 45 questions with answers
45 carry a pinned source revision
What is the largest animal alive today?
The blue whaleChecked against:
The blue whale is the largest animal known ever to have existed.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale?oldid=1364714839#SizeWhich mammals can truly fly rather than just glide?
BatsChecked against:
Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight, as opposed to the gliding of flying squirrels, colugos and sugar gliders.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat?oldid=1363692147#Wings%2C_skin%2C_and_flightWhich insects are mostly herbivorous as caterpillars and nectar-feeding as adults?
Butterflies and mothsChecked against:
Butterflies and moths are mostly herbivorous as caterpillars and nectar-feeding as adults.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidoptera?oldid=1365282564How many legs does a spider have?
EightChecked against:
Each of the eight legs of a spider consists of seven distinct parts.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider?oldid=1364088427#LocomotionWhich birds are flightless, semi-aquatic, and live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere?
PenguinsChecked against:
Penguins are a group of flightless semi-aquatic sea birds which live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin?oldid=1366050922What is a baby frog called?
A tadpoleChecked against:
A tadpole or polliwog (also porwigle) is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadpole?oldid=1355101489What do female kangaroos have so joeys can complete postnatal development?
A pouchChecked against:
Like most marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch called a marsupium in which joeys complete postnatal development.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo?oldid=1359742626What sweet liquid do flowers produce to attract pollinators?
NectarChecked against:
The common use of the word "nectar" to refer to the "sweet liquid in flowers", is first recorded in AD 1600.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectar?oldid=1354827975#EtymologyWhat kind of animals are dolphins?
Marine mammalsChecked against:
Dolphins are marine mammals with broad geographic extent, making them susceptible to climate change in various ways.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin?oldid=1362237439#Impacts_of_climate_changeWhat nut does an oak tree bear?
An acornChecked against:
They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak?oldid=1365963308What is the fastest land animal?
The cheetahChecked against:
The cheetah is a pursuit predator and the fastest land animal, capable of running at 93–104 km/h (58–65 mph); it has evolved for speed, having powerful hindlimb muscles, long limbs and a flexible spine.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheetah?oldid=1365632542Which black-and-white bear mainly eats bamboo?
Giant pandaChecked against:
The average giant panda eats 9 to 14 kg (20 to 31 lb) of bamboo shoots per day to compensate for the limited energy content of its diet.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda?oldid=1365397413#DietHow is an animal that eats both plants and meat classified?
An omnivoreChecked against:
An omnivore (/ ˈ ɒ m n ɪ v ɔːr /) is an animal that eats both plant and animal matter.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnivore?oldid=1360714649Which rainforest layer contains trees that grow above the general canopy?
The emergent layerChecked against:
The emergent layer contains a small number of very large trees called emergents, which grow above the general canopy, reaching heights of 45–55 m, although on occasion a few species will grow to 70–80 m tall.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforest?oldid=1351535519#Emergent_layerWhat are groups of lions called?
PridesChecked against:
It is a social species, forming groups called prides.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion?oldid=1362805420Which came first in a frog’s life cycle: tadpole or froglet?
TadpoleChecked against:
At the end of the tadpole stage, a frog undergoes metamorphosis in which its body makes a sudden transition into the adult form.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog?oldid=1363064175#MetamorphosisHow does an octopus usually move quickly through water?
Water jet propulsionChecked against:
The siphon is used for respiration and locomotion (by water jet propulsion).
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus?oldid=1354721353Which hard body structures are especially useful in preserving organisms?
ExoskeletonsChecked against:
Exoskeletons, as hard parts of organisms, are greatly useful in assisting the preservation of organisms, whose soft parts usually rot before they can be fossilized.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoskeleton?oldid=1355792955#Paleontological_significanceWhich animal builds dams that reshape streams?
BeaverChecked against:
Beaver dams are more effective in trapping and slowly leaking water than man-made concrete dams.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver?oldid=1365293999#InfrastructureBetween which grounds is bird migration a seasonal movement?
Breeding and wintering groundsChecked against:
Bird migration is a seasonal movement of some birds between breeding and wintering grounds that occurs twice a year.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_migration?oldid=1365677065What type of animal is a Komodo dragon?
A large reptile of the monitor lizard family VaranidaeChecked against:
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large reptile of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Dasami, and Gili Motang.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon?oldid=1362735935How many hearts does an octopus have?
ThreeChecked against:
They have three hearts; a systemic or main heart that circulates blood around the body and two branchial or gill hearts that pump it through the two gills.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus?oldid=1354721353#Circulatory_systemA queen, workers, drones, and a hive all point to what kind of bees?
Honey beesChecked against:
Honey bees have three castes: drones, workers, and queens.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_bee?oldid=1364236029#Sexes_and_castesWhich living birds lay the largest eggs?
Common ostrichesChecked against:
They are the heaviest and largest living birds, with adult common ostriches weighing anywhere between 63.5–145 kg (140–320 lb), and laying the largest eggs of any living land animal.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrich?oldid=1365340313Why can a camel survive for long periods with little water?
A series of physiological adaptationsChecked against:
Camels have a series of physiological adaptations that allow them to withstand long periods of time without any external source of water.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel?oldid=1365443029#Ecological_and_behavioral_adaptationsWhat is the only continent without native ants?
AntarcticaChecked against:
They are found on all continents except Antarctica, and only a few large islands, such as Greenland, Iceland, parts of Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands lack native ant species.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant?oldid=1363713132#Distribution_and_diversityWhich Australian marsupial is the only living representative of the family Phascolarctidae?
The koalaChecked against:
The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), sometimes inaccurately called the koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala?oldid=1365426480What color is a polar bear’s skin under its fur?
BlackChecked against:
The polar bear is white or yellowish-furred with black skin and a thick layer of fat.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear?oldid=1360291696What is one hypothesized cue sea turtles use to find their hatching region?
The Earth's magnetic fieldChecked against:
Some have suggested that turtles might use the Earth's magnetic field to fix their position.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_turtle_migration?oldid=1344243328What is the relationship called when both species benefit?
MutualismChecked against:
The microbiota in the human intestine coevolved with the human species, and this relationship is considered to be a mutualism that is beneficial both to the human host and the bacteria in the gut population.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutualism_(biology)?oldid=1350061349#Intestinal_microbiotaWhich salamanders are used in research because they can regenerate body parts including limbs?
AxolotlsChecked against:
There currently exists a large captive population of axolotls, with specimens used extensively in scientific research because of their unusual ability to regenerate body parts, including limbs, gills and parts of their eyes and brains.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl?oldid=1365469225What makes a platypus unusual among mammals besides its bill?
Mammals that lay eggsChecked against:
Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus?oldid=1362452793Which microscopic animals can survive extreme drying by entering a tun state?
TardigradesChecked against:
Terrestrial and freshwater tardigrades are able to tolerate long periods when water is not available, such as when the moss or pond they are living in dries out, by drawing their legs in and forming a desiccated cyst, the cryptobiotic 'tun' state, where no metabolic activity takes place.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade?oldid=1365589124#Dehydrated_'tun'_stateHow does the Komodo dragon rank among living lizards?
The largest extant species of lizardChecked against:
It is the largest extant species of lizard, with the males growing to a maximum length of 3 m (10 ft) and weighing up to 150 kg (330 lb).
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon?oldid=1362735935What kind of organism is a lichen?
A composite organismChecked against:
A lichen is a composite organism that emerges from algae or cyanobacteria living among the filaments (hyphae) of the fungi in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen?oldid=1365018936#Symbiotic_relationWhat is the most conspicuous trait of male narwhals?
A long, spiralled tuskChecked against:
The most conspicuous trait of male narwhals is a long, spiralled tusk, which is a canine tooth that projects from the left side of the upper jaw.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narwhal?oldid=1361625492#Tusk_and_dentitionHow does kleptoparasitism work?
A feeding strategy where one animal deliberately steals food from anotherChecked against:
Kleptoparasitism is a feeding strategy where one animal deliberately steals food from another.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptoparasitism?oldid=1354935344#StrategyHow can wood frogs survive partial freezing in winter?
Urea and glucose act as cryoprotectantsChecked against:
Both urea and glucose act as cryoprotectants to limit the amount of ice that forms and to reduce osmotic shrinkage of cells.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_frog?oldid=1351167031#Cold_toleranceName the process by which plants lose water vapor through their leaves.
TranspirationChecked against:
Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpiration?oldid=1325504463Which bird has the greatest wingspan among living birds?
The snowy albatrossChecked against:
The snowy albatross has the longest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to 3.7 m (12 ft), with a mean span of 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in) in Bird Island, South Georgia.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_albatross?oldid=1360252723#SizeHow do mycorrhizal fungi help plants through their roots?
The fungus supplies the plant with water and mineral nutrientsChecked against:
The plant makes organic molecules by photosynthesis and supplies them to the fungus in the form of sugars or lipids, while the fungus supplies the plant with water and mineral nutrients, such as phosphorus, nitrogen, or zinc, taken from the soil.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza?oldid=1362851638#DefinitionWhere do migratory monarchs originate?
Southern Canada and the northern United StatesChecked against:
Migratory monarchs originate in southern Canada and the northern United States.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly_migration?oldid=1364460333How is an animal colored in countershading?
Darker on the top or upper side and lighter on the underside of the bodyChecked against:
Countershading, or Thayer's law, is a method of camouflage in which an animal's coloration is darker on the top or upper side and lighter on the underside of the body.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countershading?oldid=1352876025How do antlers change each year?
Antlers are shed and regrownChecked against:
Antlers are shed and regrown each year and function primarily as objects of sexual attraction and as weapons.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antler?oldid=1365024102When do plants using CAM open their stomata?
At low temperaturesChecked against:
At low temperatures (frequently at night), plants using CAM open their stomata, CO 2 molecules diffuse into the spongy mesophyll's intracellular spaces and then into the cytoplasm.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crassulacean_acid_metabolism?oldid=1362788518#Biochemistry