Scientific Scientific Names Names Match Quiz | Animals

Scientific Scientific Names Names Quiz

No, it's not a quiz title typo! Many animals have a scientific name that is a repeat of two words, for example the scientific name for the red fox is "vulpes vulpes". Can you match the animals to their repeated scientific name?

A matching quiz by ClarkyB. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Common magpie

Answer: Pica pica

Also known as the Eurasian magpie, the Pica pica is a long-tailed black-and-white crow that utters a raucous chattering call. The magpie has been immortalised in the traditional rhyme "One for Sorrow" which is based upon the old superstition that the number of magpies one sees determines the luck one will have.

2. Moose

Answer: Alces alces

Known as the moose in North America and the elk in Eurasia, Alces alces is the largest living species of deer. The males are identifiable by their enormous flattened antlers.

3. Ring-tailed coati

Answer: Nasua nasua

A member of the Procyonidae family, which also includes raccoons and kinkajous, the Nasua nasua, or ring-tailed coati is a species of coati from tropical and subtropical South America that typically lives in the forest on both the ground and in trees.

4. Common Quail

Answer: Coturnix coturnix

The Coturnix coturnix, or common quail, is a small game bird with a rounded body and small tail. Rarely seen, it is more usually heard giving its distinctive 'wet-my lips' call.

5. Striped Skunk

Answer: Mephitis mephitis

The word "mephitis" comes from the name of a Samnite goddess who personified the foul-smelling gases emitted from the earth, hence the linking with this pungent mammal! The striped skunk is native to Southern Canada, the USA, and northern Mexico.

6. Red Junglefowl

Answer: Gallus gallus

Thought to be an ancestor of the domestic chicken, the red junglefowl is native to southeast Asia. The bird's plumage is typical of this family of birds, with the female being dull and camouflage oriented, whereas the male possesses a prominent red comb and bright gold/bronze feathers over its neck and back.

7. Wolverine

Answer: Gulo gulo

With its name coming from the Latin "gulo" meaning "glutton" the wolverine is a powerful and voracious hunter, feeding on many different types of prey, including squirrels, beavers, rabbits, sheep, deer, and even moose!

8. Common Buzzard

Answer: Buteo buteo

A member of the Buteo genus of medium to fairly large, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings, the common buzzard (also known as "hawk" in North America) mainly eats small mammals, but will also feast on carrion, and worms and insects.

9. Spotted Hyena

Answer: Crocuta crocuta

Also known as the laughing hyena due to its distinctive howl, the Crocuta crocuta is a doglike mammal of Africa and southern Asia that feeds chiefly on carrion. The average spotted hyena litter is just two cubs; however litters of three cubs have occasionally been reported.

10. Common Toad

Answer: Bufo bufo

Coming from the Latin "bufo", meaning "a toad", the common toad is an amphibian found throughout most of Europe. It has a conservation status of "least concern".

Source: Author ClarkyB

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Questions		Choices
1. Common magpie		Gulo gulo
2. Moose		Gallus gallus
3. Ring-tailed coati		Mephitis mephitis
4. Common Quail		Pica pica
5. Striped Skunk		Crocuta crocuta
6. Red Junglefowl		Buteo buteo
7. Wolverine		Bufo bufo
8. Common Buzzard		Coturnix coturnix
9. Spotted Hyena		Nasua nasua
10. Common Toad		Alces alces