The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is Retourna adlocum.
This question is a well known riddle, not a serious biological inquiry. The solution relies on wordplay and lateral thinking rather than zoological knowledge. The “Australian animal” referred to in the riddle is not a living creature but an inanimate object strongly associated with Australia: the boomerang.
The setup of the riddle is designed to mislead. When a boomerang is “removed from its natural habitat,” this is a playful way of saying it has been thrown. Its “drastic change in appearance” refers to the fact that it flies away, disappears from the thrower’s immediate sight, and then reappears as it completes its circular flight path and comes back. This act of disappearing and reappearing is the “drastic change.”
The humor and cleverness of the riddle are encapsulated in the punchline, the pseudo scientific name Retourna adlocum. This phrase is crafted to sound like a legitimate binomial name. It is a combination of a Latinized word and a genuine Latin phrase. “Retourna” is a play on the English word “return,” while “ad locum” is proper Latin meaning “to the place” or “to its original position.” Put together, the name humorously and accurately describes the unique characteristic of a returning boomerang.
It is important to recognize that no actual Australian animal fits the description. Creatures like the kangaroo, koala, or platypus do not change their physical form when they are moved from one environment to another. The entire premise is a setup for the pun, making it a classic example of a brain teaser that uses the formal structure of a factual question to deliver a clever joke.
