Fauna & Flora Set by Mel Kinsey
1/ Which primate of the subfamily Cebinae is so-named because of the resemblance of the hairs on its head to that of a religious headpiece? Capuchin monkey
2/ Deriving from a chance remark by a 19th-century English lawyer about the challenges its unique structure would pose to certain tree-dwelling animals, what common name is given to Araucaria araucana, an evergreen native to Chile and Argentina? Monkey puzzle tree
3/ Named after a Russian geographer-explorer, this rare and endangered subspecies of wild horse was at one time extinct in the wild, but has since been reintroduced into its native habitats in which Asian country? Mongolia (Przewalski’s Horse)
4/ Named after an American zoologist, which principle holds that animals living in cold climates have smaller or shorter appendages (e.g. ears, legs, tails etc) than their warm-adapted relatives? Allen’s rule
5/ Also known as the desert lynx, which member of the cat family has a name which means ‘Black Ear’ in Turkish – a reference to the long black tufts at the back of its ears? Found in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, its powerful hind-legs enable it to leap high into the air to catch low-flying birds. Caracal
6/ Also known as the wishbone, what is the anatomical name of this forked bone, formed by the fusion of the two clavicles and found in birds & some other dinosaurs? It functions to strengthen & stabilize the thorax during the rigors of flight. Furcula
7/ What six-letter name refers to any of several Australian lizards of the genus Varanus? Carnivorous and generally capable of climbing trees, they feature prominently in Aboriginal mythology and Australian folklore. Goanna
8/ Which family of bony fish is characterized by the presence of two dorsal fins and a series of finlets behind the rear dorsal fin? Including mackerels, tunas and many important food fishes, it gives its name to a particular form of food poisoning believed to result from histamine formation due to the decaying flesh of the fish. Scombridae
9/ What eight-letter term refers to the ventral (bottom) part of the shell of a turtle, tortoise or terrapin? The same word can also mean an ornamental front piece of a woman’s bodice, or a metal breastplate won under a coat of mail. Plastron
10/ Its name deriving from Japanese, what group of plants in the genus Pueraria are climbing or coiling perennial vines noted for the speed and extent in which it covers trees, shrubs and even man-made structures? Native to much of Asia, it is a useful livestock fodder as well as an attractive ornamental. Kudzu
11/ Having the binomial name Leopardus wiedii, which small cat native to Central and South America is very similar to the ocelot, but with a shorter head and longer tail & legs? It is one of the only two cat species (the other being the clouded leopard) which possess enough ankle flexibility to climb down a tree head-first. Margay
12/ Belonging to the order Paramelemorphia, which small insectivorous marsupial native to parts of Australia and New Guinea has a rat-like appearance but has a long pointed head and snout? An anthropomorphic example named Crash is the protagonist of a popular video game franchise that originated on the Sony PlayStation in 1996. Bandicoot
13/ Also known as the nutria or river rat, which semiaquatic rodent originally native to South America is the only member of the family Myocastoridae? It is valued for its fur, which is used in the fashion industry. Coypu
14/ Which colourful bird found across Afro-Eurasia, noted for its distinctive crown of feathers and characteristic call (from which it derives its name), is also the national bird of Israel? Hoopoe
15/ Native to eastern and southern Africa, which antelope of the genus Tragelaphus has two species (the Greater and Lesser)? They are characterized by horns that usually possess two to two and a half twists. Kudu
16/ What name is given to the two-lobed structure that is attached to the end of the filament and together forms the stamen (or male reproductive part of the flower)? It contains microsporangia, within which pollen are produced. Anther
17/ Including species such as the dugong, manatee and the extinct Steller’s sea cow, which order of aquatic herbivorous mammal derives its name from a group of dangerous creatures in Greek myth? Sirenian (Sirens)
18/ In biology, what name is given to a plant that grows on another for support, but unlike a parasite does not derive any moisture or nutrient from its host? Examples include mosses, algae and ferns. Epiphyte
19/ Named the `Klingon newt’ due to its distinctive skull shape and ridges on its back, this animal is amongst 163 new species discovered in the forested regions of which major river, as announced by the World Wildlife Fund in December 2016? The Mekong
20/ Belonging to the genus Rissa, which coastal-breeding seabird ranges in the North Pacific, North Atlantic and Arctic oceans? It derives its name from the shrill calling sound it makes. Kittiwake
21/ Which member of the Crocodilia order, native to the northern Indian subcontinent, is noted for its elongated snout that is adapted for catching fish? Its name derives from the Hindi for an earthen pot, which the swollen boss at the end of its snout resembles. Gharial / Gavial
22/ Also known as the Bjelkier, which large herding dog takes its name from a nomadic reindeer-herding people from Siberia? They were used by Fridtjof Nansen on his polar expeditions. Samoyed
23/ Which two-word name is given to more than 500 species of beetles of the Carabidae family, so named because of the ability to eject a hot noxious chemical spray from the tip of their abdomen when disturbed? Bombardier Beetle
24/ The Humboldt, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni are species of which bird, of the family Spheniscidae? Penguin
25/ Which word in botany refers the collective term for all the petals of a flower, and is also the name of a best-selling automobile (car) model? Corolla
Comics & Graphic Novels Set by Mel Kinsey
1/ In ‘Peanuts’, what is the name of the character usually portrayed as sucking his thumb and holding on to his security blanket? Linus
2/ What is the name of the character in the English version of the comic strip Asterix’? The village fishmonger, he is often seen quarrelling with the blacksmith Fulliautomatix about the state of his fish. It may help you to know his wife is named Bacteria! Unhygenix
3/ Played by Chris Pratt in the 2014 movie `Guardians of the Galaxy‘, what is the name of the Marvel superhero who was abducted from Missouri as a child in 1988 and raised by a group of alien smugglers called the Ravagers? Star-Lord
4/ Which American cartoonist created ‘Maus‘, a graphic novel serialized from 1980 to 1991? Recounting the experiences of his father during the Holocaust, it portrays the Jews as mice and other Poles and Germans as pigs and cats. Art Spiegelman
5/ In the works of the American author Robert E. Howard, what is the name of the homeland of Conan the Barbarian? Located on the main Thurian continent, it is bounded by other lands such as Vanaheim, Aesgaard and Hyperborea. Cimmeria
6/ Born on the alien Shi’ar throneworld after his parents were abducted, which supervillain in the X-Men universe was born Gabriel Summers? The younger brother of Cyclops and Havok, he shares their ability to manipulate vast amounts of energy, in his case also including magical energy. He shares his name with a Roman deity. Vulcan
7/ Inspired by a co-worker of Scott Adams at Pacific Bell, what is the name of this character in his “Dilbert’ comic strip? Characterized as someone so jaded that he spends all his time gaming the system, he is never seen without his trademark coffee cup, and is described as ‘the shell of a long-gone great programmer’. Wally
8/ In the Tokemon Go’ game, which character is only available to players in the Australasia region? A female-only species, it is a large, bipedal creature with a thick tail and brown hide. It carries a purple-colored baby in a pouch on its belly. Kangaskhan
9/ Which American cartoonist and inventor is famous for his work that depicts elaborate contraptions and devices that are over-engineered to perform simple tasks in a convoluted manner? Rube Goldberg
10/ Created by Masamune Shirow, which seinen manga series derived its title from a 1967 book on philosophical psychology by Arthur Koestler? A 2017 film adaptation stars Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi, the cyborg protagonist.
‘Ghost in the Shell’/ ‘Mobile Armored Riot Police’ or ‘Kokatu Kidotai’
11/ Named after the mother of its founder, which fictional psychiatric hospital located on the outskirts of Gotham City appear in DC comics mainly featuring Batman? Infamous inmates include the Joker, the Riddler, Two-Face and Mr. Freeze? Arkham Asylum
12/ Portrayed by Jennifer Garner and Elodie Yung on film and TV, which Marvel Comics character is a highly-trained assassin who wields a pair of trademark sai blades? A love-interest of Daredevil, she shares her name with a tragic character in Greek myth. Elektra
13/ Created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben, the fictional occult detective and con-man John Constantine, who first appeared in ‘The Saga of the Swamp Thing’, was based on the appearance of which pop star (Bissette and Totleben were his fans)?Sting
14/ Created by Philip Francis Nowland in the novella ‘Armageddon 2419 AD’, which fictional character fell into a state of suspended animation for 492 years after having been exposed to radioactive gases released from a cave-in at a coal mine? Buck Rogers
15/ Passing away at the age of 89 in February 2017, which Dutch author & illustrator created the beloved cartoon rabbit Miffy (Nijntje) in 1955? Dick Bruna
16/ Who was was born ‘one bright spring morning at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm … one of eight puppies.’? Snoopy
17/ Alan Scott, Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner are amongst characters to have assumed alter egos as which fictional comic superhero? Green Lantern
18/ Which comic strip by Bill Watterson features a boy and his stuffed-toy tiger, and takes its name from a 16th-century theologian and a 17th-century philosopher? Calvin & Hobbes’ (John Calvin and Thomas Hobbes)
19/ In the comic strip ‘Peanuts’, which character (a boy with short blond hair who usually wears a striped shirt), is distinguished by his skills at playing his toy piano, and is the object of Lucy’s infatuation? Schroeder
20/ Which popular Disney character was created by the woodcarver Gepetto, and brought to life by the Blue Fairy? Pinocchio
21/ The 80s pop group Thompson Twins took their name from a pair of characters in which popular comic series? ‘(The Adventures of) Tintin’
22/ Of the three animated singing Chipmunks, who is the one that wears glasses? Simon
23/ Which Marvel superhero was originally a young astronomer named Norrin Radd on the planet Zenn-La? In order to save his homeworld from the planet devourer Galactus, he agreed to serve as the latter’s herald, roaming the universe to look for planets for it to consume. Silver Surfer
24/ The talking cat Salem is the pet/ companion of which teenage witch from Archie Comics? Sabrina
25// First appearing in a September 1969 episode entitled ‘What A Night for a Knight’, which cartoon character got his name from a nonsense vocal line in Frank Sinatra’s 1967 hit song, ‘Strangers In The Night’? He was voiced by Don Messick from 1969 until the latter’s death in 1997. Scooby Doo