Amazing Antarctic Animals

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Krill is an umbrella term used to describe many species of open-ocean shrimp-like invertebrates. Which of the following is NOT true of Antarctic krill? The scientific name for one species, Antarctic krill, is Euphausia superba. Antarctic krill are at the bottom of the food chain and thus do no ingest any food during their life cycle. Antarctic krill can spawn several times in a season and may lay up to 10,000 eggs at a time. It is estimated that there are about 500 million tonnes of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean.

2. Although less famous than their marine counterparts, Antarctic terrestrial invertebrates constitute the most species-rich animal group of the region. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT? They can reach densities of several thousand per square meter Some will survive subzero temperatures without freezing They are not sensitive to climate change Some freeze in subzero temperatures but can survive this

3. You may not have heard of salps, but they are an important animal in the Antarctic food web. Which of the following is NOT true? Salps take an incredibly long time to reach maturity - some specimens captured in the 19th century are still considered adolescent. Phytoplankton can pass through a salp's digestive tract and remain virtually intact. The abundance of salps in Antarctic waters tends to exist in an inverse proportion to the abundance of krill. Salps look like jellyfish, but are taxonomically more closely related to humans.

4. There are a number of cephalopods which inhabit the Antarctic, including squid. Which of the following is NOT a factual statement about squid in the Antarctic? In 2007, a squid was caught in Antarctic waters that was larger than any than had previously been captured anywhere in the world. One of the most common types of squid in the Antarctic is the warty squid. Squid are an important part of the Antarctic food web. There would be little impact if squid vanished from the Antarctic.

5. Despite the importance of the aquatic environment in Antarctica, there is not a huge variety of fish inhabiting the waters. Those that do live there are quite incredible. Which of the following is NOT correct? The Patagonian toothfish is an Antarctic fish which can grow up to 2 metres long and live up to 45 years. Some Antarctic fish transport oxygen around their bodies without haemoglobin. Notothenioids are Antarctic fish which have a type of 'antifreeze' in their blood. The largest fish in Antarctic waters is the whale shark.

6. During the spring a number of migratory birds fly to Antarctica for their breeding season. Which is the INCORRECT statement? The wandering albatross, largest of the Antarctic seabirds, has a wingspan of up to three meters. The storm petrel is the smallest Antarctic bird and also has the longest migration circuit of any bird in the world. Typically, these birds are brightly coloured. Over 100 million birds come to breed each spring on the Antarctic continent and islands.

7. Antarctica is famous for its penguins. Which of the following is NOT a true statement? The only animals that breed during the Antarctic winter are emperor penguins. Some penguins travel over 100 kilometres offshore to find food for their young. Male and female Adelie penguins share chick rearing duties almost equally. The emperor is the smallest species of penguin found on the Antarctic continent.

8. Huskies are not native to the Antarctic, but they have had an important role in the region over the years. Which of the following is NOT true? Huskies remain an important mode of transportation in Antarctica. In 1964 the introduction of alien species to the Antarctic was banned, but an exception was made for sledge dogs. Huskies were first used in the Antarctic in the late 19th century. A single husky can haul a load of between 50 and 90 kilograms.

9. There are seven species of seals native to the Antarctic. Which of these is NOT an accurate statement about them? In some species, a male seal will forgo hunting during the breeding season in order to maintain his harem of females. The largest of the Antarctic region's seals can weigh several tonnes. Seals can only spend small amounts of time in the waters of Antarctica because the sea is so cold. Seals call to each other while underwater and this can sometimes be heard above the ice.

10. The first whale sanctuary was established in Antarctic waters in 1938 to protect the majestic animals from hunting. Which of the following is NOT true of Antarctic whales? Most of them live in the Antarctic all year round Only some species swim as far south as the Antarctic continental coastline Over 1.3 million of them were taken from Antarctic waters during the 20th century Both toothed and baleen varieties can be found in the Antarctic