2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): The objective of this cooperative research project is to train and develop students and research associates in the systematics of economically and/or agriculturally important insects, especially beetles. The Cooperator has expertise we do not have in the systematics of aquatic insects, especially beetles. 3.Progress Report: The agreement supports the training of students in the classification and identification of insects of importance to agriculture and quarantine. The results are on the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque Web site. An undergraduate student was hired to work on a research project on a group of species in the burrowing water beetle family that are primarily carnivorous feeders. A post-doc student is doing research on a predaceous diving beetle phylogenetic project. Predaceous diving beetles are important in the food chain. Some diving beetles are eaten by humans in Mexico, China, Thailand, and New Guinea, but they are also eaten by birds, mammals, and other large predators.