Mormon Crickets are not true crickets; they are a type of which insect group?

• A. Grasshopper
• B. Beetle
• C. Cicada
• D. Shieldbacked Katydid

Answer: (D)

Mormon crickets are not true crickets because they’re katydids, specifically shield-backed katydids. They belong to the katydid family (Tettigoniidae) in the order Orthoptera, which also includes crickets and grasshoppers, but they’re more closely related to katydids. A key clue is the long antennae and the distinctive shield-like pronotum that covers much of the body, giving them the “shield-backed” look. Among the groups listed, shieldbacked katydids best describes their actual classification, since grasshoppers, cicadas, and beetles belong to different groups and don’t share those katydid traits.