[For Elementary School Students] 3-Choice Quiz to Deepen Knowledge of Living Things

chin

The pincers that male stag beetles have correspond to their jaws. They are used to grapple with and overpower other males during fights, and when competing over territory. Well-developed pincers are a symbol of strength and an important factor in winning mates.

six pieces

Insects have bodies divided into three parts—the head, thorax, and abdomen—and a leg on each side of each segment, making a total of six legs. This is the characteristic of creatures called “insects.” Similarly, spiders also have six legs, but because their head and thorax are fused and their bodies are divided into only two parts, they are not insects.

Flying

Rhinoceros beetles have large bodies and small wings, so they’re not good at flying. Basically, they don’t move much from where they are unless another insect takes over their feeding spot. Even when they do fly, they’re slow and can’t compete with insects like dragonflies.

has a backbone

Humans have a fixed number of 24 vertebrae, but fish do not have a set number. Fish also have more bones than humans—for example, they have three just in the jaw, and several dozen in the fins. By the way, if a fish bone gets stuck in your throat, gargling is recommended as a first step.

whale shark

The whale shark got its name because the pattern on its body resembles a traditional Jinbei haori. Although it has a large body, it feeds on tiny plankton. It is gentle by nature, does not attack people or large fish, and can be rather timid.

puff up one's body

Pufferfish puff up their bodies when they feel threatened or stressed. One theory about the origin of their Japanese name, “fugu,” comes from this puffing behavior. They are also written as “河豚” in kanji because their swollen appearance was thought to resemble a pig.

dolphin

The correct answer is “dolphin.” Sharks are fish that belong to the class of cartilaginous fish, differing from other fish in that their skeletons are made of cartilage. Meanwhile, the ocean sunfish lives in tropical and subtropical seas; although it has an unusual shape, it is a type of fish. However, dolphins are not fish but mammals. Dolphins have characteristics unique to mammals, such as breathing with lungs and nursing their young with milk.