Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada Vol. 32(2) Winter 2013 The Newsletter of the BSC is published twice a year by the Biological Survey of Canada, an incorporated not-for-profit group In this issue devoted to promoting biodiversity science in Canada, particularly Editorial...........................2 with respect to the Arthropoda. Information on becoming a Report from the Annual General member ...................2,5,41 Report from Annual General Meeting, Guelph Ontario by Dave Langor....................................................3 Meeting ...........................3 New Board of Directors of the BSC ................................3 Biota of Canada President’s Update .......,....4 Project: why do Recent papers in the we need it and what Canadian Journal of Arthropod are the challenges? Identification ...................................... 5 Three articles to set Seeking a student member for the stage. the BSC board.................. 5 1. The Program on the General BSC book announcement: Volumes 3 & 4 of Arthropods Status of Species in Canada of Canadian Grasslands......6 by Rémi Hébert........................................9 Biota of Canada Project: 2. Tardigrades: A Brief Overview vision and progress update.8 by Gary Grothman..................................12 The Program on the General Status of Species in Canada.9 3.The Status of Systematic Tardigrades: a Brief Overview. Knowledge of the Acari of .....................................12 Canada: Tickin’ Away with The Status of Systematic some Mitey Progress Knowledge of the Acari of by Lisa Lumley, Frédéric Beaulieu, Valerie Behan- Canada: Tickin’ Away with Pelletier, Wayne Knee, Evert E. Lindquist, Mi- some Mitey Progress........23 chelle Mark, Heather Proctor, and David Walter ..............................................................23 BSC FAQs........................38 Requests for Material......40 FYI and FAQs about the BSC: Notices.......................40 BSC President Dave Langor answers questions about the Biological Survey and the Biological Join the BSC...................41 Survey Foundation ...........................................38 Visit Our website | Contact us | Previous issues Biological Survey of Canada Address: c/o Entomological Society of Canada 393 Winston Avenue, Ottawa, ON K2A 1Y8 [email protected] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 2 Editorial: An eventful period for the BSC Donna Giberson This January marks five years for the BSC the logistics of gathering available data on as an entity separate from the Canadian Canadian species and investigating how to Museum of Nature, our previous “umbrella” make the data accessible. You’ll read of some organization. Budget cuts at the museum of the progress in this issue, including an forced some difficult decisions, including the update in Dave Langor’s President’s report and termination of the Secretariat for the BSC. a series of articles by Canadian researchers It was a difficult time for the Survey, since that address some of the challenges and members of the former Scientific Committee rewards associated with carrying out this were loathe to let it die, but lacked resources project. and experience in running a not-for-profit Other activities also occupied the Board group. Everything that used to be run out of during this recent term. Priorities included the Secretariat was suddenly in the hands modifying our by-laws and articles to conform of volunteers. Board members had a steep to the new Non-Profit Corporations Act, learning curve, and worked hard to keep the and working to merge the Biological Survey organization going. There have been growing Foundation (founded to support our publication pains, but in working through these, the BSC activities) with the Biological Survey is growing into a vibrant and effective group. corporation, to eliminate confusion about the The first Board of the newly constituted two entities. That process should be complete Biological Survey of Canada Inc. consisted this year. of the former Scientific Committee; this We reached a milestone at the AGM in group spent their first months identifying 2013, with more people expressing interest in new directions and trying to find funding being Board Members than we had positions. and a new “home” for the organization. At The new board is a great mix of young and the first Annual General Meeting (Oct. 2009, old(er), and new and old(er). Expect great in conjunction with the ESC/ESM meeting things from this group in the next two years. in Winnipeg), the board members were My own personal milestone this year is confirmed and served a 2-year term. In fall the winding down of the Grasslands project, 2011, a new board consisting of a mix of which has been on-going for several years for former and new members was elected at the the Survey. My part of it, co-editing the final AGM in Halifax. An early priority was to obtain volumes in the “grasslands books” (see p. 6) charitable status under the Canada Revenue will be finished this year, and I hope you’ll be Agency rules to allow people to receive tax as impressed as I have been at the quality of receipts for donations in support of biodiversity the submissions, and the amazing diversity of projects in Canada. this habitat. The highlight if this past term was a focus I hope you enjoy this issue, especially on a new initiative, the Biota of Canada the Biota of Canada articles! Please consider Project, which you have been reading about getting involved in this project, in any way you over the past few issues of this newsletter. feel comfortable. If you have news or notices, Progress on this project has seemed slow at send them in, and we’ll be happy to get them times, as we have worked our way through out. Best wishes for a great 2014! Are you a member of the BSC? You may be on the mailing list to receive BSC newsletters, but may not be a member! To become a member, send a request for membership to the BSC Secretary, Jade Savage (see p.5 for instructions on becoming a member). Remember to request membership before the AGM so you are eligible to vote. If you don’t hear from us within a couple of weeks, please contact us again, to be sure your request has been received. Questions? Please contact us at [email protected] The Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada is published twice a year (sum- mer and winter) by the Biological Survey of Canada, an incorporated not-for-profit group devoted to promoting biodiversity science in Canada, particularly with respect to the Arthropoda. Send submissions to: Dr. Donna Giberson ([email protected]) or Dr. Doug Currie ([email protected]) Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3 Masthead image: Tricoloured Bumblebee, Bombus ternarius photographed on Lupins in PEI in 2010, D.Giberson Volume 32(2) Winter 2013 Return to front page Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 3 Report on the Annual General Meeting of the BSC Dave Langor, President The AGM of the BSC was held on October 23, 2013 during the JAM in Guelph, Ontario. At this meeting we elected a new Board that will serve for a 2-year period. The new Board consists of: - René Belland (Dept. of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB) - Patrice Bouchard (Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Ottawa, ON) - Syd Cannings (Canadian Wildlife Service, Whitehorse, YK) - David Langor (Northern Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Edmonton, AB) - Lisa Lumley (Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB) - Jade Savage (Biology Department, Bishops University, Sherbrooke QC) - David Shorthouse (Canadensys, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC) - Alex Smith (Department of Integrative Biology & The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON) - Terry Wheeler (Lyman Entomological Museum, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Belle- vue, QC) For the first time in our history there were more nominations for the Board than there were Board positions, and this shows an increasing interest in the BSC. Thanks to all folks who allowed their names to stand for nomination. At the AGM the membership also voted unanimously to approve New Articles of Continu- ance and By-Laws. At the first meeting of the new Board, the Officers were elected. The 2013-2015 Board and Officers consist of: - David Langor (President), - Terry Wheeler (Vice-President) - Jade Savage (Secretary) - Patrice Bouchard (Treasurer). From the by-laws: The Board of Directors of the BSC BOARD OF DIRECTORS 6.1. Number and Qualification The property and business of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board which shall be composed of not less than three (3) and not more than nine (9) Directors. The number of Directors shall be fixed by the Members from time to time. Directors shall be individuals, at least eighteen (18) years of age and have power under law to contract. A Director need not be a Mem- ber of the Corporation. 6.2 Provisional Board of Directors The applicants for incorporation named in the Letters Patent shall, on incorporation of the Corporation, become the first Board of the Corporation (the “Provisional Board”) whose term of office on the Board shall continue until their successors are elected. tA the first meeting of the Members, the Board then elected shall replace the Provisional Board. 6.3 Term of Directors The Directors shall be elected at an annual meeting for a term of two (2) years, as determined by the Members, or until their successors are elected by the Members. All Directors shall be eligible for re-election. POWERS OF DIRECTORS 7.1 Management The Board shall administer the affairs of the Corporation in all things and make or cause to be made for the Corporation, in its name, any kind of contract which the Corporation may lawfully enter into and, except as otherwise specifically provided herein, shall exercise all such other powers and do all such other acts and things as the Corporation is by its Letters Patent or otherwise authorized to exercise and do.