diff --git a/ui/src/nova-ui-kit/components/table/table/table.tsx b/ui/src/nova-ui-kit/components/table/table/table.tsx
index 47b85e5dd..987a21b4f 100644
--- a/ui/src/nova-ui-kit/components/table/table/table.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/nova-ui-kit/components/table/table/table.tsx
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ interface TableProps<T> {
   items?: T[]
   onSelectedItemsChange?: (selectedItems: string[]) => void
   onSortSettingsChange?: (sortSettings?: TableSortSettings) => void
-  // Optional per-row class hook, e.g. to de-emphasize already-processed rows.
-  rowClassName?: (item: T) => string | undefined
   selectable?: boolean
   selectedItems?: string[]
   sortable?: boolean
@@ -45,7 +43,6 @@ export const Table = <T extends { id: string }>({
   items = [],
   onSelectedItemsChange,
   onSortSettingsChange,
-  rowClassName,
   selectable,
   selectedItems = [],
   sortable,
@@ -128,7 +125,7 @@ export const Table = <T extends { id: string }>({
         </thead>
         <tbody>
           {items.map((item, rowIndex) => (
-            <tr key={item.id} className={rowClassName?.(item)}>
+            <tr key={item.id}>
               {selectable && (
                 <td>
                   <BasicTableCell>
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/sessions/sessions.tsx b/ui/src/pages/sessions/sessions.tsx
index 45b74618b..0cf42a4c1 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/sessions/sessions.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/sessions/sessions.tsx
@@ -33,10 +33,7 @@ export const Sessions = () => {
     occurrences: true,
     species: true,
   })
-  const { sort, setSort } = useSort({
-    field: 'occurrences_count',
-    order: 'desc',
-  })
+  const { sort, setSort } = useSort({ field: 'start', order: 'desc' })
   const { pagination, setPage } = usePagination()
   const { filters } = useFilters()
   const { sessions, total, isLoading, isFetching, error } = useSessions({
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/species/species-columns.tsx b/ui/src/pages/species/species-columns.tsx
index dd4e2e779..3f03afb24 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/species/species-columns.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/species/species-columns.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { DeterminationScore } from 'components/determination-score'
 import { TaxonDetails } from 'components/taxon-details/taxon-details'
 import { Tag } from 'components/taxon-tags/tag'
 import { Species } from 'data-services/models/species'
-import { ShieldCheckIcon } from 'lucide-react'
 import {
   BasicTableCell,
   CellTheme,
@@ -157,15 +156,7 @@ export const columns: (project: {
           filters: { ...carryFilters, taxon: item.id, verified: 'true' },
         })}
       >
-        <div className="flex items-center justify-end gap-1.5">
-          {item.numVerified > 0 ? (
-            <ShieldCheckIcon
-              aria-label={translate(STRING.VERIFIED)}
-              className="w-4 h-4 text-success"
-            />
-          ) : null}
-          <BasicTableCell value={item.numVerified} theme={CellTheme.Bubble} />
-        </div>
+        <BasicTableCell value={item.numVerified} theme={CellTheme.Bubble} />
       </Link>
     ),
   },
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/species/species.tsx b/ui/src/pages/species/species.tsx
index 23c813b90..12a4bbe99 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/species/species.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/species/species.tsx
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ export const Species = () => {
     'created-at': false,
     'updated-at': false,
   })
-  const { sort, setSort } = useSort({ field: 'name', order: 'asc' })
+  const { sort, setSort } = useSort({
+    field: 'occurrences_count',
+    order: 'desc',
+  })
   const { pagination, setPage } = usePagination()
   const { activeFilters, filters } = useFilters()
   const { species, total, isLoading, isFetching, error } = useSpecies({
@@ -231,9 +234,6 @@ export const Species = () => {
               isLoading={!id && !verifyOccurrenceId && isLoading}
               items={species}
               onSortSettingsChange={setSort}
-              rowClassName={(item) =>
-                item.numVerified > 0 ? 'opacity-50' : undefined
-              }
               sortable
               sortSettings={sort}
             />