See If You Can Identify These Common Land and Sea Creatures!

ANIMALS

By: Kennita Leon

6 Min Quiz

Image: beppeverge/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Land and sea or surf and turf; this wonderful planet of ours has a variety of animals, all of whom have to make their home somewhere. Whether that's on the land or in the sea, or if they can switch between the two, each creature is different and has its purpose in the grand scheme of things. But as easily as you can identify a dolphin or a bison, do you really know your land and sea animals as well as you think you do? Let's examine this further.

If you know evolution, you'll know that some of the animals that were once sea creatures now live on land and vice versa. Animals have adapted to the changes that have happened to this planet. Thus, what may today be a lizard living on solid earth could eventually become a sea dragon, or something much closer to a crocodile. But we're not here to talk about what happened in the past. We want to know the names of these creatures as they exist today. We're going to talk about where they live now, and not whether they moved from sea to land. 

If you think you can correctly name these creatures, let's get started on this quiz. 

A delicacy worldwide, which sea creature is this?

Lobsters can be colored greenish brown, white, yellow or even blue. These sea creatures also seem to have gotten the digestive process backward; they use their stomachs to chew and their legs to taste.

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Which animal do you see here?

Penguins are birds that cannot fly; instead, they spend much of their time underwater, and they use their wings to dive for food. Their bodies are well adapted to swimming, and they can travel at a steady pace of 4 to 7 kilometers per hour.

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More than 250 species of this animal exist. What is its name?

More than 250 species of monkey exist in the world today. They can mostly be found in trees but also live in mountainous areas. Monkeys are omnivores that consume a variety of foods such as fruits, seeds, bird eggs and insects.

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They come in a wide variety of colors. What kind of fish is this?

This marine animal can be found in an array of colors, from red to silvery blue to yellow, and is covered with stripes along the length of its body. It is also difficult to differentiate between the male and female angelfish because they are usually the same color and size.

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Can you tell us the name of this creature?

The ostrich is the largest bird in the world, and, just like the penguin, it cannot fly. This omnivorous animal weighs more than 150 kilograms and can run as fast as 70 kilometers per hour. In the wild, it can live about 30 to 40 years.

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Usually eaten during Thanksgiving, what's the name of this land-dwelling animal?

Turkeys are large, heavy birds that are well known for being the main item on the menu for Thanksgiving. These hefty animals come in a variety of species, with the eastern wild turkey being the biggest. At their heaviest, they have been known to weigh up to 25 pounds.

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This animal can regrow its limbs. Can you tell us its name?

Despite their ambiguous name, starfish are not actually fish and do not have many characteristics of fish, such as fins, gills and scales. These sea stars usually have five arms, and, similar to sea urchins and sponges, they are invertebrates.

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Which sea creature is this?

Manatees, also known as sea cows, are large sea mammals that live along the coast and in the shallow waters. Different manatee species can be found in the waters of the Caribbean, the Amazon Basin, and off the coast of West Africa.

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They hop around Australia quite a bit. Which creature is this?

Kangaroos are well known for their powerful hind legs that enable them to jump as high as 3 meters in one go. These social animals can be found in groups of three or four and, when threatened, will use their long legs to stomp the ground to alert the others in their tribe.

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Do you think you can tell us the name of this land animal?

The cheetah is recognized as the fastest animal on land. It can move at a speed of 70 miles per hour and can arrive at its top speed in only three seconds. Cheetahs have a long, slim body, legs and tail and are easily recognized by their spotted coat of fur.

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It doesn't actually have an apparatus on its back, but it is a huge sea mammal. What is it called?

The humpback whale is a large creature; their size may range from 48 to 62.5 feet long, and, similar to other species of whale, the females are bigger. This type of whale does not actually have a hump on its back -- it was given its name because of the way it looks when diving in the ocean.

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These birds love to strut -- well, at least the males do. What are they called?

Peacocks are large birds that are easily recognized by their big colorful tails. Though the word peacock is commonly used in reference to the bird, it is actually only the male that is the peacock, while the female is a peahen. The collective word for both is peafowl.

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What is the name of this mollusk?

Conchs are large sea shells from the Mollusca phylum, which clams and oysters also belong to. The queen conch can live as long as 40 years and grow up to 12 inches long. Conchs are often sold for their shells and to make jewelry.

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Found in fresh and salt water, which snake-like animal is this?

This snake look-alike is actually a fish with long anal and dorsal fins. This solitary animal can be found in saltwater and freshwater and is also nocturnal; many eel species are rarely spotted by humans.

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Which name does this land animal go by?

The rhinoceros is a large land mammal that, used to be commonly found across Africa as well as in countries such as India and Nepal, though their range is much smaller now as they face extinction. The word "rhinoceros" means "nose horn," after the horns that grow out of their snouts.

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This striped, horse-like creature is quite beautiful. Can you tell us what its name is?

Zebras are herbivores recognized by their stripe, which are actually unique to each individual. Some researchers believe that they may be useful in baffling predators and insects or in managing the animal's body temperature.

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It can make its quills stand up when it's threatened. Which animal is this?

The porcupine is a big rodent that can grow up to 36 inches long, as in the case of the African crested porcupine. Porcupines have pointed quills about their body that usually lie flat but can stand on end as a means of defense when the animal is threatened.

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These animals live plastered on top of each other in the sea. What are they?

Barnacles are small sea animals that may be brown, pink, yellow or green. They tend to live among other barnacles, attached to a hard exterior such as rocks, ships and even other animals such as whales. Barnacles feed on plankton.

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Can you tell us the name of this water-dweller?

A seahorse is a fish with a long tail as well as a snout and neck that points downward. To avoid predators, seahorses camouflage themselves to blend in with plants, and they can often be seen in pairs as they swim.

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Some make pearls while others don't. But what is the collective name for this animal?

Oysters are widely found in shallow waters around the world and reside in colonies known as beds or reefs. The eastern oyster and the Pacific oyster are most common. They should not be mistaken for pearl oysters, which produce the shiny round objects.

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What's the name of this dangerous sea animal?

The pufferfish got its name from its defense mechanism. When threatened, this fish swallows gulps of water and swells to twice its size. Pufferfish contain a deadly toxin known as tetrodotoxin, which is more than one thousand times more lethal than cyanide.

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This animal has no eyes or a heart, but it lives. What is it?

Jellyfish may not have eyes, brain, bones or even a heart --but this animal has many other fascinating characteristics. Some species are bioluminescent, meaning they produce their own light, and they use their stinging tentacles to stupefy their prey before consuming them.

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They get their color from the algae they eat. Which creature is this?

Flamingos are beautiful birds with red or pinkish feathers, which are made that color thanks to their diet of algae, shrimp and crustaceans. They are relatively light on their feet too, with an adult bird weighing as much as nine pounds.

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This animal can live both on land and in the sea. What is it?

Although they are most commonly given a bad rap for their deadly bite, snakes generally won't bother humans unless they feel threatened in some way -- and most aren't even venomous. They do, however, prey on a range of animals such as rodents and bird eggs, and the venomous ones use their toxin to capture their prey.

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These elongated fish are hunted all over the world. Which name do they go by?

Barracudas are fishes that can be found in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, as well as some parts of the Atlantic and the Caribbean. These elongated fish are scavengers of the sea, and humans (particularly swimmers) should be wary of their sharp, pointed teeth.

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They store fat in the humps on their backs. Which creature is this?

Camels are mammals with bodies that are well adapted to life in the deserts of Africa and Asia. Their two rows of eyelashes, furry ears and three eyelids serve as a means of protection against the sand. The humps on their back also store fat, which can be made into food when needed.

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Can you tell us what this is called?

Badgers are carnivorous mammals that live in burrows (also called setts) underground and are found North America and Europe. As many as 15 badgers live in a sett, which is a sophisticated system of tunnels and entrances they make by using their strong bodies and sharp claws.

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They look like shrimp but aren't. What's their actual name?

Krill are small shrimp-like invertebrates that can be found in oceans worldwide. They are a crucial part of the oceanic food chain because they feed on phytoplankton and are in turn largely consumed by many animals such as birds, fish and whales.

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Do you know the actual name of this land animal?

Jaguars are the third largest cats in the world and the largest of South America. These solitary animals live by themselves in swampy areas and imprint on their territory using their waste or by marking the trees with their claws.

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They can roll up into balls for protection. Which animal are we referring to?

Armadillo, which means "little armored one" in Spanish, is the perfect name for this small omnivore with a bony-plated shell about its body. This shell contributes to its peculiar appearance and serves as a means of protection for this nocturnal animal.

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These animals are attached to the sea floor. What are they collectively called?

Corals are invertebrates that attach to the floor of the ocean. They have tiny tentacles that they use to carry food into their mouths. Corals are different from other animals because they cannot be distinguished by factors such as a face or body parts.

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Which land and sometimes sea creature is this?

A walrus is a large mammal with tusks and flippers. It has been subdivided into two categories: The Atlantic walrus, found in the waters of Canada and Greenland, and the Pacific walrus of the northern Bering Strait in the Arctic region.

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What would you say is the name of this lizard?

Geckos are nocturnal lizards that can be found in many climates, from the warm Caribbean islands to deserts and mountainous regions. They use camouflage to adapt to their environment and use their tongues to flick dirt off their eyelids.

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Some call it a dolphin, although it isn't. What is the correct name of this sea creature?

Mahi-mahi, also known as the dolphin fish, is found in tropical waters. Despite its name, it is not related to dolphins. This fish has a long dorsal fin running along its narrow body, and the male has a large head while the female has a rounded one.

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Do you know the name of this intelligent sea mammal?

This gentle mammal has a birthing experience similar to humans in some ways. Dolphins give birth to live young after 12 months of gestation, and delivery is made with the assistance of an "auntie dolphin." The umbilical cord cuts off in the process and the calf comes out tail first, which is unique to dolphins.

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Known for their grace, this beautiful animal is hunted all over the world. What is it called?

Various deer species live throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia (and one species is native to Africa). They are members of the Cervidae family, which reindeer and elk also belong to.

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Can you match the animal pictured to its name?

The scientific name for the sloth is Bradypus, meaning "slow feet" in Greek. This gentle, apathetic animal can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America, where they spend the majority of their time hanging from the treetops.

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Supposedly the biggest mammal on the North American continent, what is this animal that sometimes gets mistaken for a bull?

The American bison is the biggest mammal in North America, with a weight ranging from 900 to more than two thousand pounds. The European bison, an herbivore, is the largest one in that region and is heavier than the American bison.

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This creature is somewhat like a chameleon of the sea. What is its name?

Cuttlefish are not fish but are in fact mollusks. These impressive marine animals have three hearts and excellent vision that allows them to see objects or animals behind them. Its vision remains steady even in dim light, and it also has the ability to reshape its eyes to improve focus on an object.

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They are small but contribute greatly to marine life. What are they known as?

"Plankton" refers to a range of organisms, such as green algae and diatoms, that are unable to swim against the water's current. They inhabit all the world's oceans as well as lakes and ponds. They contribute greatly to marine life, as they are consumed by a wide range of animals, including jellyfish and whales.

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