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Tenebrionidae is one of the most diverse families in Coleoptera. However, research on the family in Colombia is limited. Based on a comprehensive literature review, a list of tenebrionid species known from the country was compiled and the state of knowledge is analyzed. Based on this information, the Ten-ebrionidae in Colombia are represented by 326 species, organized into 95 genera (seven subgenera), 30 tribes, and nine subfamilies. Cundinamarca, including Bogotá, presents the highest number of recorded species with 52, followed by Valle del Cauca with sixteen, and Bolívar with thirteen; eight departments have records for only a single species, and ten do not have records of any tenebrionid species. Potential reasons for the historically limited research on Colombian tenebrionids are discussed and actions to reduce these knowledge gaps are proposed.

Melanin is one of the most abundant natural biomolecules on Earth. These macromolecular biopolymers display several unique physical and chemical properties and have garnered interest as biomaterials for various commercial and industrial applications. To this end, extensive research has gone into refining methods for the synthesis and extraction of melanin from natural and recombinant sources. In this study, we developed and refined a procedure using a recombinant microbial system for the biosynthesis of melanin using the tyrosinase enzyme Tyr1 and tyrosine as a substrate. Using the emergent microbial chassis organisms Vibrio natriegens, we achieved maximal yields of 7.57 g/L, and one of the highest reported volumetric productivities of 473 mg L−1 h−1 with 100% conversion rates in an optimized, minimally defined medium. Additionally, we identified and investigated the use of a native copper responsive promoter in V. natriegens for stringent regulation of heterologous protein expression as a cost effective alternative to traditional IPTG-based induction. This research represents a promising advancement towards a green, rapid, and economical alternative for the biomanufacture of melanin.

Abstract The study of ancient DNA is revolutionizing our understanding of paleo-ecology and the evolutionary history of species. Insects are essential components in many ecosystems and constitute the most diverse group of animals. Yet they are largely neglected in ancient DNA studies. We report the results of the first targeted investigation of insect ancient DNA to positively identify subfossil insects to species, which includes the recovery of endogenous content from samples as old as ~ 34,355 ybp. Potential inhibitors currently limiting widespread research on insect ancient DNA are discussed, including the lack of closely related genomic reference sequences (decreased mapping efficiency) and the need for more extensive collaborations with insect taxonomists. The advantages of insect-based studies are also highlighted, especially in the context of understanding past climate change. In this regard, insect remains from ancient packrat middens are a rich and largely uninvestigated resource for exploring paleo-ecology and species dynamics over time.

All Gram-negative bacteria are believed to produce outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), proteoliposomes shed from the outermost membrane. We previously separately engineered E. coli to produce and package two organophosphate (OP) hydrolyzing enzymes, phosphotriesterase (PTE) and diisopropylfluorophosphatase (DFPase), into secreted OMVs. From this work, we realized a need to thoroughly compare multiple packaging strategies to elicit design rules for this process, focused on (1) membrane anchors or periplasm-directing proteins (herein “anchors/directors”) and (2) the linkers connecting these to the cargo enzyme; both may affect enzyme cargo activity. Herein, we assessed six anchors/directors to load PTE and DFPase into OMVs: four membrane anchors, namely, lipopeptide Lpp’, SlyB, SLP, and OmpA, and two periplasm-directing proteins, namely, maltose-binding protein (MBP) and BtuF. To test the effect of linker length and rigidity, four different linkers were compared using the anchor Lpp’. Our results showed that PTE and DFPase were packaged with most anchors/directors to different degrees. For the Lpp’ anchor, increased packaging and activity corresponded to increased linker length. Our findings demonstrate that the selection of anchors/directors and linkers can greatly influence the packaging and bioactivity of enzymes loaded into OMVs, and these findings have the potential to be utilized for packaging other enzymes into OMVs.

The taxonomic concept of the genus Machleida Fåhraeus, 1870 is tested and revised based on newly identified material. The following new species are described: Machleida banachi, M. flagstaffensis, M. tarskii, and M. zofiae Kamiński. Machleida capillosa Wilke, 1925 is considered as a junior subjective synonym of Asida devia Péringuey, 1899. Asida lecta Péringuey, 1899 (= Pseudomachla recurva Wilke, 1925) (transferred to Afrasida), Machleida nossibiana Fairmaire, 1897 (transferred to Scotinesthes), and Machleida tuberosa Wilke, 1925 (interpreted as incertae sedis in Asidini) are excluded from Machleida. An identification key for the species of the newly revised Machleida is provided. The present paper brings the total number of species within the genus to six (M. banachi sp. nov.; M. devia (Péringuey, 1899); M. flagstaffensis sp. nov.; M. nodulosa Fåhraeus, 1870; M. tarskii sp. nov.; M. zofiae Kamiński sp. nov.). The morphology of female terminalia (ovipositor and genital tubes) is described for the genus for the first time.

This catalogue includes all valid family-group (six subtribes), genus-group (55 genera, 33 subgenera), and species-group names (1009 species and subspecies) of Sepidiini darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae), and their available synonyms. For each name, the author, year, and page number of the description are provided, with additional information (e.g., type species for genus-group names, author of synonymies for invalid taxa, notes) depending on the taxon rank. Verified distributional records (loci typici and data acquired from revisionary publications) for all the species are gathered. Distribution of the subtribes is illustrated and discussed. Several new nomenclatural acts are included. The generic names Phanerotomea Koch, 1958 [= Ocnodes Fåhraeus, 1870] and Parmularia Koch, 1955 [= Psammodes Kirby, 1819] are new synonyms (valid names in square brackets). The following new combinations are proposed: Ocnodes acuductus acuductus (Ancey, 1883), O. acuductus ufipanus (Koch, 1952), O. adamantinus (Koch, 1952), O. argenteofasciatus (Koch, 1953), O. arnoldi arnoldi (Koch, 1952), O. arnoldi sabianus (Koch, 1952), O. barbosai (Koch, 1952), O. basilewskyi (Koch, 1952), O. bellmarleyi (Koch, 1952), O. benguelensis (Koch, 1952), O. bertolonii (Guérin-Méneville, 1844), O. blandus (Koch, 1952), O. brevicornis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. brunnescens brunnescens (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. brunnescens molestus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. buccinator (Koch, 1952), O. bushmanicus (Koch, 1952), O. carbonarius (Gerstaecker, 1854), O. cardiopterus (Fairmaire, 1888), O. cataractus (Koch, 1952), O. cinerarius (Koch, 1952), O. complanatus (Koch, 1952), O. confertus (Koch, 1952), O. congruens (Péringuey, 1899), O. cordiventris (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. crocodilinus (Koch, 1952), O. dimorphus (Koch, 1952), O. distinctus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. dolosus (Péringuey, 1899), O. dorsocostatus (Gebien, 1910), O. dubiosus (Péringuey, 1899), O. ejectus (Koch, 1952), O. epronoticus (Koch, 1952), O. erichsoni (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. ferreirae ferreirae (Koch, 1952), O. ferreirae zulu (Koch, 1952), O. fettingi (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. fistucans (Koch, 1952), O. fraternus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. freyi (Koch, 1952), O. freudei (Koch, 1952), O. fulgidus (Koch, 1952), O. funestus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. gemmeulus (Koch, 1952), O. gibberosulus (Péringuey, 1908), O. gibbus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1879), O. globosus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. granisterna (Koch, 1952), O. granulosicollis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. gridellii (Koch, 1960), O. guerini guerini (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. guerini lawrencii (Koch, 1954), O. guerini mancus (Koch 1954), O. haemorrhoidalis haemorrhoidalis (Koch, 1952), O. haemorrhoidalis salubris (Koch, 1952), O. heydeni (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. humeralis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. humerangula (Koch, 1952), O. imbricatus (Koch, 1952), O. imitator imitator (Péringuey, 1899), O. imitator invadens (Koch, 1952), O. inflatus (Koch, 1952), O. janssensi (Koch, 1952), O. javeti (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. junodi (Péringuey, 1899), O. kulzeri (Koch, 1952), O. lacustris (Koch, 1952), O. laevigatus (Olivier, 1795), O. lanceolatus (Koch, 1953), O. licitus (Peringey, 1899), O. luctuosus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. luxurosus (Koch, 1952), O. maputoensis (Koch, 1952), O. marginicollis (Koch, 1952), O. martinsi (Koch, 1952), O. melleus (Koch, 1952), O. mendicus estermanni (Koch, 1952), O. mendicus mendicus (Péringuey, 1899), O. miles (Péringuey, 1908), O. mimeticus (Koch, 1952), O. misolampoides (Fairmaire, 1888), O. mixtus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. monacha (Koch, 1952), O. montanus (Koch, 1952), O. mozambicus (Koch, 1952), O. muliebris curtus (Koch, 1952), O. muliebris muliebris (Koch, 1952), O. muliebris silvestris (Koch, 1952), O. nervosus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. notatum (Thunberg, 1787), O. notaticollis (Koch, 1952), O. odorans (Koch, 1952), O. opacus (Solier, 1843), O. osbecki (Billberg, 1815), O. overlaeti (Koch, 1952), O. ovulus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. pachysoma ornata (Koch, 1952), O. pachysoma pachysoma (Péringuey, 1892), O. papillosus (Koch, 1952), O. pedator (Fairmaire, 1888), O. perlucidus (Koch, 1952), O. planus (Koch, 1952), O. pretorianus (Koch, 1952), O. procursus (Péringuey, 1899), O. protectus (Koch, 1952), O. punctatissimus (Koch, 1952), O. puncticollis (Koch, 1952), O. punctipennis planisculptus (Koch, 1952), O. punctipennis punctipennis (Harold, 1878), O. punctipleura (Koch, 1952), O. rhodesianus (Koch, 1952), O. roriferus (Koch, 1952), O. rufipes (Harold, 1878), O. saltuarius (Koch, 1952), O. scabricollis (Gerstaecker, 1854), O. scopulipes (Koch, 1952), O. scrobicollis griqua (Koch, 1952), O. scrobicollis simulans (Koch, 1952), O. semirasus (Koch, 1952), O. semiscabrum (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. sericicollis (Koch, 1952), O. similis (Péringuey, 1899), O. sjoestedti (Gebien, 1910), O. spatulipes (Koch, 1952), O. specularis (Péringuey, 1899), O. spinigerus (Koch, 1952), O. stevensoni (Koch, 1952), O. tarsocnoides (Koch, 1952), O. temulentus (Koch, 1952), O. tenebrosus melanarius (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. tenebrosus tenebrosus (Erichson, 1843), O. tibialis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. torosus (Koch, 1952), O. transversicollis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1879), O. tumidus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. umvumanus (Koch, 1952), O. vagus (Péringuey, 1899), O. vaticinus (Péringuey, 1899), O. verecundus (Péringuey, 1899), O. vetustus (Koch, 1952), O. vexator (Péringuey, 1899), O. virago (Koch, 1952), O. warmeloi (Koch, 1953), O. zanzibaricus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), Psammophanes antinorii (Gridelli, 1939), and P. mirei (Pierre, 1979). The type species [placed in square brackets] of the following genus-group taxa are designated for the first time, Ocnodes Fåhraeus, 1870 [Ocnodes scrobicollis Fåhraeus, 1870], Psammodophysis Péringuey, 1899 [Psammodophysis probes Péringuey, 1899], and Trachynotidus Péringuey, 1899 [Psammodes thoreyi Haag-Rutenberg, 1871]. A lectotype is designated for Histrionotus omercooperi Koch, 1955 in order to fix its taxonomic status. Ulamus Kamiński is introduced here as a replacement name for Echinotus Marwick, 1935 [Type species. Avicula echinata Smith, 1817] (Mollusca: Pteriidae) to avoid homonymy with Echinotus Solier, 1843 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

This catalogue includes all valid family-group (8 subfamilies, 52 tribes, 14 subtribes), genus-group (349 genera, 86 subgenera), and species-group names (2825 species, 215 subspecies) of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) known to occur in North America1 and their available synonyms. Data on extant, subfossil and fossil taxa are given. For each name the author and year and page number of the description are provided, with additional information (e.g., type species for genus-group names, author of synonymies for invalid taxa) depending on the taxon rank. Several new nomenclatural acts are included. One new genus, Lepidocnemeplatia Bousquet and Bouchard, is described. Spelaebiosis Bousquet and Bouchard [for Ardoinia Özdikmen, 2004], Blapstinus marcuzzii Aalbu [for Blapstinus kulzeri Marcuzzi, 1977], and Hymenorus campbelli Bouchard [for Hymenorus oculatus Doyen and Poinar, 1994] are proposed as new replacement names. Supporting evidence is provided for the conservation of usage of Tarpela micans (Fabricius, 1798) nomen protectum over Tarpela vittata (Olivier, 1793) nomen oblitum. The generic names Psilomera Motschulsky, 1870 [= Stenomorpha Solier, 1836], Steneleodes Blaisdell, 1909 [= Xysta Eschscholtz, 1829], Ooconibius Casey, 1895 and Euconibius Casey, 1895 [= Conibius LeConte, 1851] are new synonyms (valid names in square brackets). The following 127 new synonymies of species-group names, listed in their original combination, are proposed (valid names, in their current combination, placed in square brackets): Bothrasida mucorea Wilke, 1922 [= Pelecyphorus guanajuatensis (Champion, 1884)]; Parasida zacualpanicola Wilke, 1922 [= Pelecyphorus asidoides Solier, 1836]; Stenosides kulzeri Pallister, 1954, Stenosides bisinuatus Pallister, 1954, and Parasida trisinuata Pallister, 1954 [= Pelecyphorus dispar (Champion, 1892)]; Asida favosa Champion, 1884 and Asida similata Champion, 1884 [= Pelecyphorus fallax (Champion, 1884)]; Ologlyptus bicarinatus Champion, 1884 [= Pelecyphorus indutus (Champion, 1884)]; Parasida laciniata Casey, 1912 and Parasida cristata Pallister, 1954 [= Pelecyphorus liratus (LeConte, 1854)]; Parasida esperanzae Wilke, 1922 and Parasida mixtecae Wilke, 1922 [= Pelecyphorus longipennis (Champion, 1884)]; Parasida tolucana Casey, 1912 [= Pelecyphorus scutellaris (Champion, 1884)]; Parasida purpusi Wilke, 1922 [= Pelecyphorus tristis (Champion, 1884)]; Astrotus nosodermoides Champion, 1892 [= Pelecyphorus erosus (Champion, 1892)]; Astrotus seticornis var. humeralis Champion, 1884 [= Pelecyphorus seticornis (Champion, 1884)]; Pactostoma breviuscula Casey, 1912, Pactostoma exoleta Casey, 1912, Pactostoma luteotecta Casey, 1912, Pactostoma monticola Casey, 1912, Pactostoma obtecta Casey, 1912, and Pactostoma sigillata Casey, 1912 [=Pelecyphorus anastomosis (Say, 1824)]; Ologlyptus canus Champion, 1884 and Ologlyptus sinuaticollis Champion, 1884 [= Pelecyphorus graciliformis (Solier, 1836)]; Gonasida elata reducta Casey, 1912, Gonasida elata prolixa Casey, 1912, and Gonasida aucta Casey, 1912 [= Philolithus elatus compar (Casey, 1912)]; Gonasida alaticollis Casey, 1912 [= Philolithus elatus difformis (LeConte, 1854)]; Gonasida gravida Casey, 1912 [= Philolithus elatus elatus (LeConte, 1853)]; Pelecyphorus aegrotus limbatus Casey, 1912 [= Philolithus aegrotus aegrotus (LeConte, 1861)]; Pelecyphorus corporalis Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus reptans Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus socer Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus abscissus Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus fumosus Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus parvus Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus morbillosus pacatus Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus morbillosus sobrius Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus piceus Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus piceus crudelis Casey, 1912, Pelecyphorus snowi Casey, 1912, and Pelecyphorus subtenuis Casey, 1912 [= Philolithus morbillosus (LeConte, 1858)]; Bothrasida sanctae-agnae Wilke, 1922 [= Stenomorpha funesta (Champion, 1884)]; Asida flaccida Horn, 1896 [= Stenomorpha embaphionides (Horn, 1894)]; Asida angustula Casey, 1890, Stethasida stricta Casey, 1912, Stethasida muricatula languida Casey, 1912, Stethasida pertinax Casey, 1912, Stethasida socors Casey, 1912, Stethasida angustula inepta Casey, 1912, Stethasida tenax Casey, 1912, and Stethasida vegrandis Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha muricatula (LeConte, 1851)]; Stethasida obsoleta expansa Casey, 1912, Stethasida obsoleta opacella Casey, 1912, Stethasida brevipes Casey, 1912, Stethasida torpida Casey, 1912, Stethasida convergens Casey, 1912, Stethasida discreta Casey, 1912, Stethasida longula Casey, 1912, Stethasida adumbrata Casey, 1912, Stethasida occulta Casey, 1912, Stethasida tarsalis Casey, 1912, Stethasida unica Casey, 1912, and Pelecyphorus laevigatus Papp, 1961 [= Stenomorpha obsoleta (LeConte, 1851)]; Trichiasida eremica Wilke, 1922 [= Stenomorpha difficilis (Champion, 1884)]; Trichiasida lineatopilosa Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha hirsuta (LeConte, 1851)]; Trichiasida tenella Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha hispidula (LeConte, 1851)]; Trichiasida duplex Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha villosa (Champion, 1884)]; Alaudes squamosa Blaisdell, 1919, Alaudes testacea Blaisdell, 1919, and Alaudes fallax Fall, 1928 [= Alaudes singularis Horn, 1870]; Edrotes barrowsi Dajoz, 1999 [=Edrotes ventricosus LeConte, 1851]; Nyctoporis tetrica Casey, 1907 and Nyctoporis maura Casey, 1907 [= Nyctoporis aequicollis Eschscholtz, 1831]; Nyctoporis pullata Casey, 1907 [= Nyctoporis sponsa Casey, 1907]; Eleodes tibialis forma oblonga Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes tibialis Blaisdell, 1909]; Eleodes (manni var.) variolosa Blaisdell, 1917 [= Eleodes constrictus LeConte, 1858]; Eleodes cordata forma sublaevis Blaisdell, 1909, Eleodes cordata forma intermedia Blaisdell, 1909, Eleodes cordata forma oblonga Blaisdell, 1909, Eleodes cordata forma elongata Blaisdell, 1909, and Eleodes (cordata var.) adulterina Blaisdell, 1917 [= Eleodes cordata Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes hornii var. monticula Blaisdell, 1918 and Eleodes manni sierra Blaisdell, 1925 [= Eleodes fuchsii Blaisdell, 1909]; Eleodes parvicollis var. squalida Blaisdell, 1918 [= Eleodes parvicollis Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes reflexicollis Mannerheim, 1843 and Eleodes parvicollis forma farallonica Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes planata Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes indentata Blaisdell, 1935 [= Eleodes rotundipennis LeConte, 1857]; Eleodes intricata Mannerheim, 1843 [= Eleodes scabrosa Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes horni fenyesi Blaisdell, 1925 [= Eleodes tenebrosa Horn, 1870]; Eleodes cordata var. horrida Blaisdell, 1918 [= Eleodes tuberculata Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes oblonga Blaisdell, 1933 [= Eleodes versatilis Blaisdell, 1921]; Eleodes dentipes marinae Blaisdell, 1921 [= Eleodes dentipes Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes carbonaria forma glabra Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes carbonaria carbonaria (Say, 1824)]; Eleodes granosa forma fortis Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes granosa LeConte, 1866]; Eleodes pilosa forma ordinata Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes pilosa Horn, 1870]; Trogloderus costatus pappi Kulzer, 1960 [= Trogloderus tuberculatus Blaisdell, 1909]; Trogloderus costatus mayhewi Papp, 1961 [= Trogloderus vandykei La Rivers, 1946]; Bolitophagus cristatus Gosse, 1840 [= Bolitotherus cornutus (Fabricius, 1801)]; Eleates explanatus Casey, 1890 [= Eleates depressus (Randall, 1838)]; Blapstinus sonorae Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus brevicollis LeConte, 1851]; Blapstinus falli Blaisdell, 1929 [= Blapstinus castaneus Casey, 1890]; Blapstinus brunneus Casey, 1890 and Blapstinus coronadensis Blaisdell, 1892 [=Blapstinus histricus Casey, 1890]; Blapstinus hesperius Casey, 1890 [=Blapstinus intermixtus Casey, 1890]; Blapstinus cinerascens Fall, 1929 [= Blapstinus lecontei Mulsant and Rey, 1859]; Blapstinus niger Casey, 1890 and Blapstinus cribricollis Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus pimalis Casey, 1885]; Blapstinus arenarius Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus pratensis LeConte, 1859]; Blapstinus gregalis Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus substriatus Champion, 1885]; Blapstinus hydropicus Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus sulcatus LeConte, 1851]; Blapstinus hospes Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus vestitus LeConte, 1859]; Notibius reflexus Horn, 1894 [= Conibius opacus (LeConte, 1866)]; Notibius affinis Champion, 1885 [=Conibius rugipes (Champion, 1885)]; Conibius parallelus LeConte, 1851 [= Conibius seriatus LeConte, 1851]; Nocibiotes rubripes Casey, 1895 [=Nocibiotes caudatus Casey, 1895]; Nocibiotes gracilis Casey, 1895 and Nocibiotes acutus Casey, 1895 [=Nocibiotes granulatus (LeConte, 1851)]; Conibius alternatus Casey, 1890 [= Tonibius sulcatus (LeConte, 1851)]; Pedinus suturalis Say, 1824 [= Alaetrinus minimus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1817)]; Menedrio longipennis Motschulsky, 1872 [= Tenebrio obscurus Fabricius, 1792]; Hymenophorus megops Hatch, 1965 and Telesicles magnus Hatch, 1965 [= Hymenorus sinuatus Fall, 1931]; Andrimus concolor Casey, 1891 and Andrimus convergens Casey, 1891 [= Andrimus murrayi (LeConte, 1866)]; Mycetochara marshalli Campbell, 1978 [= Mycetochara perplexata Marshall, 1970]; Phaleria globosa LeConte, 1857 [= Phaleria picta Mannerheim, 1843]. The following subspecies of Trogloderus costatus LeConte, 1879 are given species rank: Trogloderus nevadus La Rivers, 1943, Trogloderus tuberculatus Blaisdell, 1909, and Trogloderus vandykei La Rivers, 1946. The following taxa, previously thought to be junior synonyms, are considered valid: Amphidora Eschscholtz, 1829; Xysta Eschscholtz, 1829; Helops confluens (Casey, 1924). Two new combinations are proposed: Stenomorpha spinimana (Champion, 1892) and Stenomorpha tenebrosa (Champion, 1892) [from the genus Parasida Casey, 1912]. The type species [placed in square brackets] of the following 12 genus-group taxa are designated for the first time: Lagriola Kirsch, 1874 [Lagriola operosa Kirsch, 1874]; Locrodes Casey, 1907 [Emmenastus piceus Casey, 1890]; Falacer Laporte, 1840 [Acanthopus cupreus Laporte, 1840 (= Helops contractus Palisot de Beauvois, 1812)]; Blapylis Horn, 1870 [Eleodes cordata Eschscholtz, 1829]; Discogenia LeConte, 1866 [Eleodes scabricula LeConte, 1858]; Metablapylis Blaisdell, 1909 [Eleodes nigrina LeConte, 1858]; Steneleodes Blaisdell, 1909 [Eleodes longicollis LeConte, 1851]; Scaptes Champion, 1886 [Scaptes squamulatus Champion, 1886 (= Asida tropica Kirsch, 1866)]; Aspidius Mulsant and Rey, 1859 [Blaps punctata Fabricius, 1792]; Cryptozoon Schaufuss, 1882 [Cryptozoon civile Schaufuss, 1882]; Halophalerus Crotch, 1874 [Phaleria rotundata LeConte, 1851]; Dignamptus LeConte, 1878 [Dignamptus stenochinus LeConte, 1878]. Two species previously known from South America [Nilio lebasi J. Thomson and Platydema erotyloides Chevrolat] are reported for the first time from North America.

The tribe Eschatoporini Blaisdell, 1906 is reinstated, based on molecular and morphological data, and the spelling corrected as Eschatoporiini. The tribe currently includes only the cave-dwelling genus Eschatoporis Blaisdell, 1906 from California, which is associated with underground aquifers. A second species of Eschatoporis is described from a cave in Napa County, California. The phylogenetic placement of Eschatoporiini within the Lagriinae is examined, and notes on the biology of Eschatoporis are provided.

This study uses data from a 2001 survey of Great Plains farmers to explore the adoption, usage patterns, and perceived benefits of computers and the Internet. Adoption results suggest that exposure to the technology through college, outside employment, friends, and family is ultimately more influential than farmer age and farm size. Notably, about half of those who use the Internet for farm-related business report zero economic benefits from it. Whether a farmer perceives that the Internet generates economic benefits depends primarily on how long the farmer has used the Internet for farm business and for what purposes.

Flour beetles are a classic model system for studying competitive dynamics between species occupying the same ecological niche. Competitive performance is often interpreted in terms of biological species traits such as fecundity, resource use, and predation. However, many studies only measure competitive ability when species enter an environment simultaneously, and thus do not consider how the relative timing of species' arrival may determine competitive outcome (i.e., priority effects). Whether priority effects may influence competition in Tribolium remains to be tested. The present study examined the importance of priority effects in competitions between two common species of flour beetle (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): Tribolium castaneum and T. confusum. To investigate whether priority effects confer competitive advantages to Tribolium beetles, relative introduction times of T. castaneum and T. confusum to competitive arenas were manipulated, and adult populations were measured for seven months. Four important patterns were noted: (1) Tribolium species given two-weeks priority access to experimental arenas attained larger populations than their late-arriving competitor, (2) when founding adults were introduced simultaneously, T. castaneum was competitively dominant, (3) T. castaneum benefited more from priority arrival than T. confusum, and (4) available bran resources largely predicted population decline in adult beetles toward the end of the experiment. These results suggest competitive outcome in Tribolium is not always predicted by species' identity, and that performance could instead be determined by the timing of species' arrivals and available resources.

The spliceosome is a large ribonucleoprotein complex that removes introns from pre-mRNAs. At its functional core lies the essential pre-mRNA processing factor 8 (Prp8) protein. Across diverse eukaryotes, this protein cofactor of RNA catalysis harbors a self-splicing element called an intein. Inteins in Prp8 are extremely pervasive and are found at 7 different sites in various species. Here, we focus on the Prp8 intein from Cryptococcus neoformans (Cne), a human fungal pathogen. We solved the crystal structure of this intein, revealing structural homology among protein splicing sequences in eukaryotes, including the Hedgehog C terminus. Working with the Cne Prp8 intein in a reporter assay, we find that the biologically relevant divalent metals copper and zinc inhibit intein splicing, albeit by 2 different mechanisms. Copper likely stimulates reversible modifications on a catalytically important cysteine, whereas zinc binds at the terminal asparagine and the same critical cysteine. Importantly, we also show that copper treatment inhibits Prp8 protein splicing in Cne. Lastly, an intein-containing Prp8 precursor model is presented, suggesting that metal-induced protein splicing inhibition would disturb function of both Prp8 and the spliceosome. These results indicate that Prp8 protein splicing can be modulated, with potential functional implications for the spliceosome.

Despite a large and multifaceted effort to understand the vast landscape of phenotypic data, their current form inhibits productive data analysis. The lack of a community-wide, consensus-based, human- and machine-interpretable language for describing phenotypes and their genomic and environmental contexts is perhaps the most pressing scientific bottleneck to integration across many key fields in biology, including genomics, systems biology, development, medicine, evolution, ecology, and systematics. Here we survey the current phenomics landscape, including data resources and handling, and the progress that has been made to accurately capture relevant data descriptions for phenotypes. We present an example of the kind of integration across domains that computable phenotypes would enable, and we call upon the broader biology community, publishers, and relevant funding agencies to support efforts to surmount today's data barriers and facilitate analytical reproducibility.