Correct Option
The organisms Cicada, Froghopper, and Pond skater are all classified under the Class Insecta. Insects are arthropods characterized by a segmented body, an exoskeleton made of chitin, three pairs of jointed legs, and typically one or two pairs of wings. They possess compound eyes and antennae. Each of the mentioned organisms exhibits these fundamental characteristics:
- Cicadas (superfamily Cicadoidea) are known for their distinct sound production and long juvenile stages, often spent underground.
- Froghoppers (superfamily Cercopoidea) are recognized for their remarkable jumping ability and the frothy secretions produced by their nymphs, earning them the name "spittlebugs."
- Pond skaters (family Gerridae), also known as water striders, are adapted to live on the surface of water bodies, utilizing surface tension to move and hunt prey.
Therefore, all three are insects.
Incorrect Options
- Option (1) Birds: Birds are warm-blooded, feathered vertebrates belonging to the Class Aves. They possess wings for flight (though some are flightless) and lay eggs. The given organisms do not share these characteristics.
- Option (2) Fish: Fish are aquatic vertebrates belonging to the Superclass Pisces. They are characterized by gills for respiration and fins for locomotion in water. The organisms mentioned are not fish.
- Option (4) Reptiles: Reptiles are cold-blooded (poikilothermic) vertebrates belonging to the Class Reptilia. They are typically characterized by scaly skin, lay amniotic eggs, and breathe air. The organisms in the question do not fit the description of reptiles.