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Born on May 21 in 1799, Mary Anning was a pioneering English paleontologist who regularly risked her life to collect fossils. From age 12, she discovered complete fossils and sold them on the beach. As a woman she was not given credit in the scientific circles but later had many species named after her. She also became famous due to a certain tongue twister about her. Which commonly used phrase is this?
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‘Scaptia _______ae’ is a species of fly found in Australia which is easily identified by the unique dense golden hairs on its abdomen. It is named after an American singer who is known for her golden outfits and dazzling hair. Who is this singer whose fans are known as the ‘BeyHive’?
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‘______meryx Naida’ is an extinct swamp dwelling mammal with huge lips, which it used to help with feeding. The researcher who discovered it named it after the front man of his favourite rock band, whose logo is a pair of lips. Who is this singer whose moves are the subject of a hit song by Maroon 5?
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‘Agra __________i’ is a Costa Rican carabid beetle with a very impressive figure. It’s middle femora looks like the biceps of a body builder. The researchers went ahead and named it after one of the most famous bodybuilders and actors of all time, who eventually went on to become the governor of an American state. Who is this person?
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‘Aleiodes _______e’ is a parasitic wasp that causes its host caterpillar to wiggle and shake whenever, wherever it takes over its body. This reminded the researchers of a Colombian singer renowned for her hip-shaking moves. Who is this singer known as the ‘Queen of Latin music’?
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‘Spongiforma _________ii’ is a type of mushroom which was discovered in the forests of Malaysia in 2011. It resembled a fictional character from a children’s TV show, which inspired its scientific name. What is the name, which refers to the shape of clothing the character wears?
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‘______saurus quayi’ is the earliest-known large carnivorous dinosaur. Standing 18 feet tall, it would have been a apex predator towering over its habitat. It’s named after a fictional giant lizard that was famous for attacking Tokyo in old movies. Named with the original Japanese spelling (which it shares with a French metal band), what character is this 220-million-year-old predator named after?
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‘Crikey __________i’ is a rare species of Australian snail discovered by a scientist in 2009. He named it after a wildlife expert who was globally famous for his TV series in which he documented Australian wildlife. The genus name is also a reference to his favourite exclamation. Who was this naturalist we unfortunately lost in 2006?
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‘Hyloscirtus ___________i’ is a tree frog found in the Ecuadorean rainforests. Its home is preserved thanks to the efforts of the person it is named after. When originally named, that person had his title for 64 years, and on September 9, 2022, on the passing of his mother, he was given his new title. What is the species name of this frog?
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‘_________saurus’ is an extinct genus of pliosaurid from the Early Jurassic period. It was a marine dinosaur that could reach 14 feet. Usually a certain species is named after a person, but in this case the entire genus is named after one of the greatest naturalists of the modern world. Who is this legendary person who turned 97 on May 8?
A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
