Question map
The organisms "Cicada, Froghopper and Pond skater" are :
Explanation
Cicada, Froghopper, and Pond Skater are all insects, not birds, fish, or reptiles.[1] These three organisms belong to the class Insecta within the phylum Arthropoda. Cicadas are well-known for their loud calls and belong to the order Hemiptera. Froghoppers, also called spittlebugs, are jumping insects that produce foam-like masses on plants. Pond skaters (or water striders) are aquatic insects that can literally walk on water due to surface tension. All three possess characteristic insect features including six legs, three body segments (head, thorax, abdomen), and typically two pairs of wings in adults. This makes option C (Insects) the correct answer, while options A (Birds), B (Fish), and D (Reptiles) are incorrect as these organisms do not belong to any of those animal classes.
SourcesPROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a 'General Awareness' check disguised as Taxonomy. It rewards observational curiosity (nature documentaries, school science projects) over rote book learning. If you knew even one (e.g., Cicada = loud buzzing insect), the entire question was solved.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Explicitly states all three organisms are insects.
- Directly rules out birds, fish, and reptiles in the same sentence.
- Confirms 'insects' as a recognized major arthropod class.
- Supports selecting 'insect' as the correct class among the given options.
Defines arthropods and explicitly states that arthropods include insects, giving a higher-level taxonomic group that contains insects.
A student could compare cicada/froghopper/pond skater to arthropod/insect traits (exoskeleton, jointed limbs, six legs for insects) in a field guide or picture to see if they fit 'insect'.
Discusses insects as pollinators moving between ponds and nearby areas, showing that insects commonly occupy pond/near-pond habitats.
A student could use habitat notes (e.g., pond-associated insects) and species common names like 'pond skater' to infer these organisms are likely insects associated with water surfaces.
Describes aquatic insects and their role in pond ecosystems, listing insects among typical pond inhabitants.
Using this pattern, a student could place organisms with insect-like ecology (e.g., small terrestrial or surface-dwelling arthropods) into the 'insect' category pending morphological confirmation.
Lists various pond-dwelling animals including dragonflies, mosquitos and snails—showing that small flying or water-surface organisms are treated as insects in these texts.
A student could check whether cicada/froghopper/pond skater share behaviours (flying, skimming, life stages like nymphs) with the listed insects to support classifying them as insects.
Provides an activity to classify organisms by feeding and to research specific organisms, implying use of simple traits and references to determine an organism's broad class.
A student could follow this method: look up basic traits (legs, wings, respiration) for cicada/froghopper/pond skater to decide among bird/fish/insect/reptile.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. While not explicitly in standard polity/history books, 'Cicada' and 'Pond Skater' are staples of basic School Science (NCERT Class 7-8 level concepts of habitats/surface tension).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Phylum Arthropoda (Class Insecta) and Common Misnomers in Animal Kingdom.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize these 'Tricky Names': Silverfish (Insect, not fish), Jellyfish (Cnidarian), Starfish (Echinoderm), Cuttlefish (Mollusc), Seahorse (Fish), Flying Fox (Bat), Slow Loris (Primate).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Find the 'Anchor'. You don't need to know all three. 'Cicada' is the most famous (summer noise). If Cicada = Insect, then Option C is the only choice. Don't panic at unknown names like 'Froghopper'.
Ponds host many insects (e.g., dragonflies, mosquitoes) that participate in food webs and nutrient cycling.
High-yield for ecology questions: understanding insects in ponds links to food chains, pollination, and effects of human actions like overfishing. It connects to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and conservation-policy topics frequently tested in UPSC.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > Pond ecosystem > p. 25
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 12: How Nature Works in Harmony > Activity 12.1: Let us explore > p. 192
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 12: How Nature Works in Harmony > Activity 12.3: Let us read > p. 195
Arthropods are defined by jointed limbs and an exoskeleton and include insects as a major group.
Mastering arthropod traits aids quick taxonomic identification and answers on classification, morphology, and evolutionary relationships — useful across biology and environment questions in prelims and mains.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 9: Indian Biodiversity Diverse Landscape > Arthropods > p. 155
Pond ecosystems provide food, oxygen, shelter and include organisms that break down detritus to recycle nutrients.
Core concept for environment and ecology: explains species interactions, habitat requirements, and resilience of freshwater systems; essential for questions on wetlands, conservation, and human impacts.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > Pond ecosystem > p. 25
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 12: How Nature Works in Harmony > Activity 12.1: Let us explore > p. 192
The 'Silverfish' Trap. Just as Pond Skater isn't a skater-boy, Silverfish is a wingless insect that eats paper (starch), not a fish. Expect a question on 'Which of the following is a true fish?' with options like Jellyfish, Silverfish, Dogfish (True Fish), and Starfish.
Use the 'Physics of Scale' logic. 'Pond Skater' implies walking on water. For an animal to stand on water surface tension, it must have very low mass. Birds, Reptiles, and Fish are generally too heavy to 'skate' on the surface film without breaking it. Only Insects (and arachnids) fit this physics constraint easily.
Biomimetics (Science & Tech Mains). Pond skaters utilize surface tension (hydrophobicity), inspiring water-repellent materials. Cicada wings have nanopillars that kill bacteria physically, inspiring new anti-microbial surfaces for hospitals.