Unusual Collective Terms 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Smack

A group of jellyfish together would seem to make no noise at all, given their gelatinous physiological structure, but such is the case. Belonging to the phylum Cnidaria, jellyfish are usually umbrella shaped with various long and trailing tentacles. These can sting in some species, so treat them very warily. Jellyfish do not posses a respiratory system, but instead, because their skin is so thin, they are oxygenated by a process known as diffusion. Comprised for the most part of water - up to 98% in some species - one would think that a more appropriate term for a group of them would be a splat rather than a smack.

Answer: Squabble

How apt is that? Especially if any food is tossed to them from picnic tables. The resulting noise and squabble is deafening. Don't feed them, even though tempted to. Many of these birds are missing a foot, or even both, and try to hobble around keeping up with the others. They almost always miss out on those scraps, and it's kind of heartbreaking to see them trying to desperately grab some while attempting to keep their balance at the same time.

Seagulls belong to the family Laridae and are distantly related to auks and skimmers. They're scavengers and carnivores for the most part, and favourite treats, apart from picnic scraps, include crabs and other small sea creatures. Oh this is horrible: Some seagulls even feed off live whales. They dive down onto those large and gracious creatures and peck out pieces of their flesh. Not the poor little feetless gulls though. They have a hard enough job balancing on solid ground.

Answer: A rhumba

Rattlesnakes are venomous, creepy looking creatures from the family of pit vipers. There are at least 36 different species of them, and their favourite treats are small birds and rodents. Rattlesnakes do give predators, including man, the courtesy of warning them first with their distinctive rattle sound, and this can deter some attackers. Otherwise, they're goners. Rattlesnakes seldom bite unless threatened though, and you'll be pleased to know that their bites are seldom fatal for humans. Some consolation. I'd drop dead from the shock regardless of the bite.

Aha, here's a possible explanation for their collective term: During mating season, a receptive female leaves a trail of pheromones behind her and the male, once he picks up that scent, follows her around for days until she invites him in. However, if there are two males, they will often fight one another for that right, and, when they do get into a scuffle, they twist and intertwine around one another, darting and moving their heads about, until one cedes the battle. This is called a combat dance, and the rhumba grouping term followed on from that.

Answer: A business

Flies - buzzing constanty, landing on food, landing on faces and hands, buzzing, buzzing, buzzing. They're the most annoying and busy insects under the sun. Belonging to the order Diptera, flies are members of the larger family that includes equally annoying mosquitoes, gnats, midges, sand flies and the like. Oh ugh, this is even more disgusting. Female flies lay their eggs as close to any food source as possible, and, after laying, the eggs immediately hatch, and then proceed to eat as much as they can in the shortest time. Some eggs even hatch inside the female. Shades of the 1979 movie "Alien"!

If you're ever down here in Australia, you'll see many Aussies, in the hotter stickier weather, performing the great Australian salute. That takes place because we're constantly waving flies away from our faces.

Answer: An audience

Squid belong to the order Teuthida. They are cephalopods, and, like all of their kind, the head is their most outstanding feature. Amazingly these sea creatures can leap from the water for such distances that they appear to be flying. Also amazing is the fact that they have three hearts, two for the gills, and with both of these on either side of the central heart. Squid are quite hideous looking creatures that only a mother could love. Humans also love squid - on a plate.

Answer: An implausibility

Gnus, also known as wildebeests, are a type of antelope from the family Bovidae. Found mostly in the south and east of Africa, most (but not all) gnus are known for their huge annual migrations which appear to be related to seasonal rainfalls and the growth of new pastures.

This is a very dangerous time for them, as the path of that migration often involves crossing wide rivers inhabited with crocodiles. This has earned them the collective term of an implausibility of gnus because it is implausible that they appear to be so suicidal in this regard.

But a gnu's gotta do what a gnu's gotta gnu.

Answer: An intrusion

You have no idea how much these creatures are detested here. Australia appears to produce some gigantic ones and they're prone, if they come inside in rainy weather in particular, to leaping on humans with their horrible clinging legs. A squash of cockroaches would be a far more satisfactory collective term in my opinion. Belonging to the order Blattodea, which also comes hand in hand with termites, there are 4,600 different species of these creatures.

They've been around since time began and can survive in any environment. Did you know that some of those species are capable of collective group decisions? That some of the places to which they transport pathogens the most, are hospitals? That there is an association between cockroaches and asthma? That mankind has used cockroaches for assorted medicines over time? That scientists are striving to find ways to protect some species? And that scientists are also trying to convince us, because of periodic food shortages, that cockroaches are delicious to eat? To eat! That is so disgusting. Quite frankly, I'd rather gnaw on a scientist.

Answer: A shiver

Sharks have been around for 420 million years. Five hundred different species roam the ocean today and these range in size from six inches to forty feet. A few species roam freshwater areas, but the majority can be found in the saltwater regions of the world. Sharks are at the top of the ocean's food chain, but as far as being a threat to humans go, humans are more of a threat to sharks.

It's an unequal battle, regardless of any spine chilling music in shark related movies. However, it's always wisest to use your head when swimming in any ocean.

Otherwise, you could lose it.

Answer: A flamboyance

Flamingos are large, beautifully coloured wading birds from the family Phoenicopteridae. With only six species throughout the world, these are the birds you'll often see pictured standing on only one leg, but nobody is quite sure why they do that. Perhaps it's just comfortable.

When they first hatch, these lovely creatures are a dull shade of greyish red, but as they age, their plumage turns into either a light shade of pink (which is sometimes an indication of malnourishment or poor health) or that deep flaming red from which their name derives.

Their collective term is a result of their intricate courtship displays. When doing so, they break up into groups of twenty or so, and then more or less show off to each other with ritual steps, neck stretching and wing flapping.

Answer: A flutter

I love butterflies. They're they most graceful, delicate creatures ever created - a breathtaking combination of poetry and dance. Their collective term is somewhat apt, as it applies to the slow and fluid motion of their wings as they float from flower to flower and nectar to nectar. Belonging to the order Lepidoptera, butterflies evolved some 190 million years ago from moths.

There are more than 18,500 species throughout the word today, but some of these lovely creatures only live for one week before dying. Each one is a gift of very fleeting beauty.