E)    All of the above

Cicadas are one of the larger, more familiar representatives of the Order Homoptera. Male cicadas sing to attract mates. Finding an actual specimen can be difficult as they usually stop singing when you approach their perch. More often encountered are the brown shells of exoskeleton left by the nymphs after they first emerge from their underground existence (lived in the larval state), which can last anywhere from 3 to 17 years (species dependent).  The desert cicada takes advantage of superior heat tolerance, surviving temperatures up to 117°F. You can hear their unmistakable calls during the hottest part of the day when potential predators are forced to retreat. 

  EXOSKELETON Photo: Alan Reed                                                                                          DesertUSA

Because of its cyclic emergence from "darkness" into "light," as well as its conspicuous song, the cicada has found a symbolic niche in myths worldwide. Usually representing rebirth, renewal, conquering, and good fortune; the cicada is even represented by the Southwest flutist, Kokopelli.  DesertUSA decribes the occurrence of the cicada in human histories:

"In our desert Southwest, the cicada outwitted the traditional trickster, the coyote, in Zuni mythology.  It produced heat in Hopi mythology, heralding the arrival of summer, and it is “the patron of Hopi Flute societies in charge of both music and healing,” according to Stephen W. Hill, Kokopelli Ceremonies. The cicada played a key role as a scout and a conqueror in Navajo creation myths.  It brought renewal and healing to other tribes. Across the Southwest, from prehistory into historic times, the cicada became identified with the hump-backed flute player, or Kokopelli, a charismatic and iconic figure portrayed in rock art and ceramic imagery." 

Sources

Desert Ecology: An Introduction to Life In the Arid Southwest by John Sowell

DesertUSA.com

A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert published by the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum