PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA
Indonesia fauna zones quiz: Asian, Wallacean or Australian?
A quiz on Indonesia’s fauna zones and the Wallace and Weber lines, with example animals and the reasons behind each answer.
9 multiple-choice questions. Choose your answer, then open “Show answer” to check it. Every answer comes from the sourced data on the animal’s page, so teachers can also use the quiz for class discussion. No sign-up and no data stored.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the Sumatran elephant belong to?
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Answer: A. Asian fauna. Sumatran elephant — The Asian elephant is a large mammal of mainland Asia with its own subspecies on Sumatra, and Wallace (1863) named the Sumatran elephant as an example of the large mammals of the Indo-Malayan region. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the Komodo dragon belong to?
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Answer: B. Wallacean (transitional) fauna. Komodo dragon — The Komodo dragon lives only on Komodo and a few neighbouring Lesser Sunda islands, and is cited as one of Wallacea's iconic animals. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the greater bird-of-paradise belong to?
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Answer: C. Australian fauna. Greater bird-of-paradise — Wallace (1857) recorded the greater bird-of-paradise as confined to New Guinea and the Aru Islands, and birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae) are a family endemic to the Australian region. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the Sumatran tiger belong to?
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Answer: A. Asian fauna. Sumatran tiger — The tiger ranges from the Russian Far East to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, so the Sumatran tiger is an Asian big cat at the southern edge of that range. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the lowland anoa belong to?
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Answer: B. Wallacean (transitional) fauna. Lowland anoa — The anoa is a dwarf buffalo endemic to Sulawesi, related to native bovids of the Philippines and East Asia: an Asian lineage that became a Wallacean speciality. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the red bird-of-paradise belong to?
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Answer: C. Australian fauna. Red bird-of-paradise — The red bird-of-paradise is endemic to Waigeo and Batanta in Raja Ampat; Wallace (1863) noted that Waigeo is linked to New Guinea by a shallow sea. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the Javan rhinoceros belong to?
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Answer: A. Asian fauna. Javan rhinoceros — Wallace (1863) named the rhinoceros of Sumatra and its relative on Java as examples of the large mammals of the Indo-Malayan region. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the Sulawesi babirusa belong to?
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Answer: B. Wallacean (transitional) fauna. Sulawesi babirusa — Babirusas live on Sulawesi and nearby islands and are cited as one of Wallacea's iconic oddities. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
Which of Indonesia’s fauna zones does the southern cassowary belong to?
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Answer: C. Australian fauna. Southern cassowary — The southern cassowary lives in New Guinea, nearby islands and Australia, and cassowaries (Casuariiformes) are endemic to the Australian region. Read more in Indonesia’s fauna zones.
For teachers and parents
There are printable worksheets with answer keys on the same topics.