Mormon Cricket vs Western Water Penny
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mormon Cricket | Western Water Penny |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anabrus simplex | Psephenus falli |
| Order | Orthoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Tettigoniidae | Psephenidae |
| Size | 30-50 mm | 4-5 mm (adults) |
| Habitat | Mountains | Mountains |
| Diet | Carrion Feeders | Omnivores |
| Regions | North America | Western North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Mormon Cricket
A large, flightless shield-backed katydid native to western North America. Despite its name it is not a true cricket but rather a katydid.
Did You Know?
In 1848 a massive Mormon cricket outbreak threatened settler crops in Utah until flocks of California gulls arrived and devoured them, an event celebrated as the Miracle of the Gulls.
Western Water Penny
A water penny beetle restricted to clean mountain streams in western North America. Its disc-shaped larvae are indicators of high water quality.
Did You Know?
The presence of water penny larvae is used by biologists as a reliable indicator that a stream is unpolluted.