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1. Grylloblattodea of Canada

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.819.24289  

   Schoville, Sean D. (January 2019, ZooKeys)

   The enigmatic insect order Grylloblattodea comprises two described species in Canada, which are limited to the Montane Cordillera and Pacific Maritime ecozones. One of the described species has three Canadian subspecies of uncertain taxonomic ranking, and there are two additional undescribed or unreported species known in close proximity to the Canadian border in western Alberta and British Columbia that likely also occur in Canada. Thus, as much as 50% of the total taxonomic diversity of Grylloblattodea in Canada is still undocumented. Targeted surveys and taxonomic work, as well as studies that describe the ecology and conservation status of Grylloblattodea are important goals for future research. 

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2. Four new species of Albomagister (Agaricales) from eastern North America

   https://doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2024-0058  

   Matheny, P Brandon; Lebeuf, Renée; Sánchez-García, Marisol; Graddy, Mary G; Trudell, Steven A; Wood, Michal G; Vellinga, Else C (September 2024, Botany)

   Four new species of Albomagister, a genus of Tricholomataceae in the order Agaricales, are described and illustrated from eastern North America. All four are relatively rare or geographically restricted but two have a broad geographical distribution occurring in southeast Canada and in the southern Appalachians. This study increases the number of known species in the genus from three to seven, five of which occur in eastern North America. A broad concept for the genus is discussed. Illustrations and descriptions of the North American taxa are presented, along with a taxonomic key to the known seven species in the genus worldwide. 

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3. Draft Genome Sequence of Mortierella alpina Strain LL118, Isolated from an Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Leaf Litter Sample

   https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.00864-21  

   Yang, Shu; Vinatzer, Boris A. (November 2021, Microbiology Resource Announcements)

   Bruno, Vincent (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Mortierella alpina is a filamentous fungus commonly associated with soil and is one of very few fungal species known to include strains with ice nucleation activity. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the ice nucleation-active M. alpina strain LL118, isolated from aspen leaf litter collected in Alberta, Canada. 

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4. Wireworm (Coleoptera: Elateridae) genomic analysis reveals putative cryptic species, population structure, and adaptation to pest control

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01169-9  

   Andrews, Kimberly R.; Gerritsen, Alida; Rashed, Arash; Crowder, David W.; Rondon, Silvia I.; van Herk, Willem G.; Vernon, Robert; Wanner, Kevin W.; Wilson, Cathy M.; New, Daniel D.; et al (December 2020, Communications Biology)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract The larvae of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae), known as “wireworms,” are agricultural pests that pose a substantial economic threat worldwide. We produced one of the first wireworm genome assemblies ( Limonius californicus ), and investigated population structure and phylogenetic relationships of three species ( L. californicus, L. infuscatus, L. canus ) across the northwest US and southwest Canada using genome-wide markers (RADseq) and genome skimming. We found two species ( L. californicus and L. infuscatus ) are comprised of multiple genetically distinct groups that diverged in the Pleistocene but have no known distinguishing morphological characters, and therefore could be considered cryptic species complexes. We also found within-species population structure across relatively short geographic distances. Genome scans for selection provided preliminary evidence for signatures of adaptation associated with different pesticide treatments in an agricultural field trial for L. canus . We demonstrate that genomic tools can be a strong asset in developing effective wireworm control strategies. 

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5. Southern Record of the Xenobiotic Ant Formicoxenus quebecensis from Eastern Wisconsin

   https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v70i2.8374  

   Doering, Grant Navid; Prebus, Matthew (June 2023, Sociobiology)

   The ant genus Formicoxenus is notable for the fact that all its species are xenobiotic and live inside or in close association with the nests of other ant species. Here, we report the occurrence of a colony of Formicoxenus quebecensis and its host, Myrmica alaskensis from the eastern side of the Door peninsula in Wisconsin. Both species are new records for the state, and F. quebecensis was previously known only from boreal habitats much farther north in Canada. We also provide some observations on this colony’s nest demography, morphology, and feeding behavior and discuss the ant community of this biogeographically interesting location.  

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