Erinn Fagan-Jeffries

Dr Erinn Fagan-Jeffries

Grant-Funded Researcher (B)

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Erinn is an independent grant-funded researcher within the Invertebrate Systematics and Biodiversity lab. She leads a group researching the taxonomy and systematics of parasitoid wasps, in particular the superfamily Ichneumonoidea.

I lead the wasp systematics group within the Invertebrate Systematics and Biodiversity lab. My research focusses on the taxonomy of parasitoid wasps within Australia, including developing new methods for accelerating the rate at which we name and describe the 70% of Australia's insects which are undocumented. 

I am passionate about engaging the community in the process of biodiversity discovery and taxonomy, and led the citizen science Insect Investigators, which partnered schools with taxonomists to discover and describe new species from their local area.

Student supervision: I am available to supervise Honours, Masters and PhD projects focusing on taxonomy and biodiversity of parasitoid wasps. Projects vary depending on the grants I currently hold - come and chat with me for current options. 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2023 - 2026 Australian Biological Research Study Grant-Funded Researcher The University of Adelaide
    2019 - 2022 Australian Biological Research Study Postdoctoral Research Fellow The University of Adelaide
    2019 - 2019 Postdoctoral Research Associate The University of Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2020 Award South Australian Science Excellence and Innovation Awards: PhD Research Excellence Award South Australian Science Excellence and Innovation Awards Australia -
    2019 Award Postgraduate All-Round Achievement Award University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, Department of Ecology and Environmental Biology Australia -
    2019 Award Early-Career Research Excellence Award Society of Australian Systematic Biologists Australia -
    2019 Award Harold Woolhouse Prize Faculty of Sciences, The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Award Doctoral Research Medal The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Award Perform your Science winner-Audience Choice Inspiring South Australia Australia -
    2017 Award Faculty of Sciences Three Minute Thesis winner-1st Place The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2016 Achievement 2016 Australian FameLab Winner - Australia -
    2012 Award Michael Smyth Prize The University of Adelaide School of Earth and Environmental Sciences: Ecology, Evolution and Landscape Sciences Australia -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2018 University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    2014 Australian National University Australia Master of Science Communication Outreach
    2013 Deakin University Australia Graduate Certificate of Museum Studies
    2012 University of Adelaide Australia BSc (Hons)

  • Research Interests
    Animal Systematics and Taxonomy Entomology Population, Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2025 Slater-Baker, M. -R., Guzik, M., Rodriguez, J., Howe, A., Woodward, A., Ducker, N., & Fagan-Jeffries, E. (2025). Three new species of Australian miracine parasitoid wasps collected by regional schools as part of the Insect Investigators citizen science project (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Miracinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 98, 19-45.
    DOI Scopus1
    2025 Slater-Baker, M. -R., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Oestmann, K. J., Portmann, O. G., Bament, T. M., Howe, A. G., . . . Fernández-Triana, J. (2025). DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia. ZooKeys, 1227(1227), 1-128.
    DOI Scopus1
    2025 Howe, A. G., Nguyen, T. T. T., O'Connor, P., Woodward, A., Clarke, S., Ducker, N., . . . Fagan‐Jeffries, E. P. (2025). Catching ‘the bug’: Investigating insects through school‐based citizen science increases intentions for environmental activities in students and teachers. Austral Entomology, 64(2), 19 pages.
    DOI
    2025 Lassaline, C. R., Toomes, A., Fagan-Jeffries, E., & Cassey, P. (2025). From forest floor to market door: The global terrestrial invertebrate trade. Biological Conservation, 308, 12 pages.
    DOI
    2024 Fagan‐Jeffries, E. P., Miles, M. M., Atkin‐Zaldivar, T. C., Howe, A. G., Subramaniam, S., Chambers, D. M., . . . Woodward, A. (2024). Hymenopteran parasitoids of fall armyworm (<scp><i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i></scp> (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)) in Australia, with the description of five new species in the families Braconidae and Eulophidae. Austral Entomology, 63(2), 136-174.
    DOI Scopus2
    2024 Villastrigo, A., Cooper, S. J. B., Langille, B., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Humphreys, W. F., Hendrich, L., & Balke, M. (2024). Aridification and major geotectonic landscape change shaped an extraordinary species radiation across a world's extreme elevational gradient. Communications Biology, 7(1), 1500-1-1500-11.
    DOI Scopus1
    2023 McClelland, A. R., Austin, A. D., Rodriguez, J., Cooper, S. J. B., & Fagan-Jeffries, E. P. (2023). Integrative and accelerated taxonomy recognises a new species of Psyllaephagus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), parasitic on Lasiopsylla striata (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) from Australia.. Australian Journal of Taxonomy, 17, 1-12.
    DOI
    2023 Jaume-Schinkel, S., Mengual, X., Howe, A. G., & Fagan-Jeffries, E. P. (2023). The hitchhiker's guide to Australia: the 18,000-km-long journey of <i>Alepia viatrix</i> Jaume-Schinkel, Kvifte, Weele & Mengual, 2022 (Diptera, Psychodidae) discovered through citizen science. CHECK LIST, 19(4), 589-597.
    DOI Scopus3
    2022 Slater-Baker, M. R., Austin, A. D., Whitfield, J. B., & Fagan-Jeffries, E. P. (2022). First record of miracine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Australia: molecular phylogenetics and morphology reveal multiple new species. Austral Entomology, 61(1), 49-67.
    DOI Scopus10 WoS3
    2022 Langille, B. L., Tierney, S. M., Bertozzi, T., Beasley-Hall, P. G., Bradford, T. M., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., . . . Cooper, S. J. B. (2022). Parallel decay of vision genes in subterranean water beetles. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 173, 1-9.
    DOI Scopus17 WoS4 Europe PMC9
    2022 Glatz, R. V., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Tetley, S. P., & Austin, A. D. (2022). Enigma moth parasitoid: a new Australian cyclostome genus and species, Ovaustra aurantia Tetley, Glatz &amp; Fagan Jeffries, gen. et sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Kangaroo Island. Austral Entomology, 61(4), 420-432.
    DOI Scopus1
    2022 King, R. A., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Bradford, T. M., Stringer, D. N., Finston, T. L., Halse, S. A., . . . Cooper, S. J. B. (2022). Cryptic diversity down under: defining species in the subterranean amphipod genus <i>Nedsia</i> Barnard & Williams, 1995 (Hadzioidea: Eriopisidae) from the Pilbara, Western Australia (vol 36, pg 113, 2022). INVERTEBRATE SYSTEMATICS, 36(9), 877-878.
    DOI
    2022 Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., McClelland, A. R., Bird, A. J., Giannotta, M. M., Bradford, T. M., & Austin, A. D. (2022). Systematic revision of the parasitoid wasp genus Glyptapanteles Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) for Australia results in a ten-fold increase in species. European Journal of Taxonomy, 792, 1-116.
    DOI Scopus1
    2021 Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., & Austin, A. D. (2021). Four new species of parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) described through a citizen science partnership with schools in regional South Australia.. Zootaxa, 4949(1), 1-23.
    DOI Scopus8 WoS2
    2021 Quicke, D. L. J., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Jasso-Martínez, J. M., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Shaw, M. R., Janzen, D. H., . . . Butcher, B. A. (2021). A molecular phylogeny of the parasitoid wasp subfamily Rogadinae (Ichneumonoidea: Braconidae) with descriptions of three new genera. Systematic Entomology, 46(4), 1019-1044.
    DOI Scopus15 WoS8
    2021 King, R., Fagan-Jeffries, E., Bradford, T., Stringer, D., Finston, T., Halse, S., . . . Cooper, S. (2021). Cryptic Diversity Down Under: defining species in the subterranean amphipod genus Nedsia Barnard and Williams (Hadzioidea: Eriopisidae) from the Pilbara, Western Australia. Invertebrate Systematics, 36(2), 113-159.
    DOI Scopus11 WoS6
    2020 Dorey, B., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Stevens, M. I., & Schwarz, M. P. (2020). Morphometric comparisons and novel observations of diurnal and low-light-foraging bees. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 79, 117-144.
    DOI Scopus10 WoS3
    2020 Quicke, D. L. J., Belokobylskij, S. A., Braet, Y., Van Achterberg, C., Hebert, P. D. N., Prosser, S. W. J., . . . Butcher, B. A. (2020). Phylogenetic reassignment of basal cyclostome braconid parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera) with description of a new, enigmatic Afrotropical tribe with a highly anomalous 28S D2 secondary structure. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 190(3), 1002-1019.
    DOI Scopus20 WoS12
    2020 Quicke, D. L. J., Austin, A. D., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Hebert, P. D. N., & Butcher, B. A. (2020). Molecular phylogeny places the enigmatic subfamily Masoninae within the Ichneumonidae, not the Braconidae. Zoologica Scripta, 49(1), 64-71.
    DOI Scopus9 WoS5
    2020 Quicke, D. L. J., Austin, A. D., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Hebert, P. D. N., & Butcher, B. A. (2020). Recognition of the Trachypetidae stat.n. as a new extant family of Ichneumonoidea (Hymenoptera), based on molecular and morphological evidence. Systematic Entomology, 45(4), 771-782.
    DOI Scopus16 WoS11
    2020 Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., & Austin, A. D. (2020). Synopsis of the parasitoid wasp genus Cotesia cameron, 1891 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) in Australia, with the description of seven new species. European Journal of Taxonomy, 2020(667), 1-70.
    DOI Scopus8 WoS3
    2020 Austin, A. D., & Fagan-Jeffries, E. P. (2020). A new species of the enigmatic Australian endemic family Trachypetidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea): Cercobarcon lasallei sp.n.. Journal of Natural History, 54(9-12), 553-563.
    DOI
    2019 Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Cooper, S. J. B., Bradford, T. M., & Austin, A. D. (2019). Intragenomic internal transcribed spacer 2 variation in a genus of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): implications for accurate species delimitation and phylogenetic analysis. Insect Molecular Biology, 28(4), 485-498.
    DOI Scopus4 WoS3 Europe PMC3
    2019 Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Cooper, S. J. B., & Austin, A. D. (2019). New species of Australian microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) documented through the ‘Bush Blitz’ surveys of national reserves. Zootaxa, 4560(3), 401-440.
    DOI Scopus6 WoS4 Europe PMC3
    2018 Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Cooper, S. J., Bertozzi, T., Bradford, T. M., & Austin, A. D. (2018). DNA barcoding of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) using high-throughput methods more than doubles the number of species known for Australia.. Molecular ecology resources, 18(5), 1132-1143.
    DOI Scopus24 WoS19 Europe PMC13
    2018 Fagan-Jeffries, E., Cooper, S., & Austin, A. (2018). Three new species of Dolichogenidea Viereck (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Australia with exceptionally long ovipositors. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 64, 177-190.
    DOI Scopus8 WoS7
    2017 Fagan-Jeffries, E., & Austin, A. (2017). Synopsis of the parasitoid wasp genus Choeras Mason (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from Australasia, with the description of two new species. Austral Entomology, 57(3), 349-358.
    DOI Scopus7 WoS8
    2017 Snelling, E., Duncker, R., Jones, K., Fagan-Jeffries, E., & Seymour, R. (2017). Flight metabolic rate of Locusta migratoria in relation to oxygen partial pressure in atmospheres of varying diffusivity and density. Journal of Experimental Biology, 220(23), 4432-4439.
    DOI Scopus11 WoS8 Europe PMC7
    2016 Taylor, G., Fagan-Jeffries, E., & Austin, A. (2016). A new genus and twenty new species of Australian jumping plant-lice (Psylloidea: Triozidae) from Eremophila and Myoporum (Scrophulariaceae: Myoporeae). Zootaxa, 4073(1), 1-84.
    DOI Scopus30 WoS26 Europe PMC18
    - Fagan-Jeffries, E., Woodward, A., & Clarke, S. (n.d.). Mesochorus baccanellonyah sp. nov.; a new species of parasitoid wasp from South Australia. Australian Journal of Taxonomy, 84, 1-7.
    DOI
    - King, R. A., Fagan-Jeffries, E. P., Bradford, T. M., Stringer, D. N., Finston, T. L., Halse, S. A., . . . Cooper, S. J. B. (n.d.). Cryptic diversity down under: defining species in the subterranean amphipod genus. Invertebrate Systematics, 36(2), 113-159.
    DOI

  • Conference Papers
    Year Citation
    2016 Fagan-Jeffries, E. P. (2016). Australian microgastrine parasitoid wasps: Systematics meets citizen science. In 2016 International Congress of Entomology. Entomological Society of America.
    DOI

  • Datasets
    Year Citation
    - Fagan-Jeffries, E. (n.d.). Diolcogaster ITS2 supplementary information.xlsx.
    DOI
  • 2023-26: Australian Biological Resources Study Research Grant: $270 000: Purposeful parasitoid wasp taxonomy in the superfamily Ichneumonoidea.
  • 2022-24: Bush Blitz Tactical Taxonomy Grant $15 000 for description of new species of Apanteles.
  • 2021-23: Australian Government Citizen Science Grants $480 000 to lead the citizen science project partnering schools with taxonomists to document Australia's biodiversity 
  • 2020-21: Bush Blitz Tactical Taxonomy Grant $15 000 for description of new species of Glyptapanteles
  • 2020: Australian Citizen Science Association Seed Funding $1000 for trials of a school citizen science project
  • 2019-22: Australian Biological Resources Study Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant $420 000 total funding for a three year Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 2019: National Science Week South Australia Grant $1500 for a public outreach event during National Science Week

2022: Lecturer, Zoology II, The University of Adelaide

2021: Course Coordinator & Lecturer, Evolution and Diversity of Insects III, The University of Adelaide

2021: Lecturer, Zoology II, The University of Adelaide

2020: Lecturer, Evolution and Diversity of Insects III, The University of Adelaide

2016-2019: Practical Demonstrator, Evolution and Diversity of Insects III, The University of Adelaide

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Principal Supervisor Systematics and biodiversity of Australian gall forming wasps within Chalcidoidea Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Tareva-Chine Corazon Atkin-Zaldivar
    2024 Principal Supervisor Systematics of the parasitoid subfamily Mesostoinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): exploring the biology and evolution of Australian taxa. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Shannon Tetley
    2024 Co-Supervisor A Deeper Understanding of Hymenoptera Beneficial Insects in Australian Canola Through
    Multi-Scale Monitoring    		 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Kudzaishe Precious Mavende
    2023 Principal Supervisor Taxonomy and systematics of the parasitoid wasp subfamily Rogadinae in Australia, with a focus on the tribe Betylobraconini Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker
    2023 Co-Supervisor Untangling the Web: Dynamics of the Australian Terrestrial Invertebrate Trade Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Charlotte Rachel Lassaline
    2020 Co-Supervisor Systematics of the Chalcid wasp genus Psyllaephagus (Hymenoptora: Encyrtidae) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Alana Rose McClelland

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2022 Principal Supervisor The biodiversity and systematics of the wasp genus Apanteles, a megadiverse group of caterpillar parasitoids: baseline taxonomy to inform conservation priorities. The University of Adelaide Evolutionary Biology Honours Full Time Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker
    2020 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Investigating the biodiversity of an unexplored subfamily of parasitoid wasps in Australia (Braconidae, Miracinae) The University of Adelaide Principles & Practice of Research (Advanced) III Other Full Time Mollie Slater-Baker
    2019 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Diversity in the antennal sensilla of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with an assessment of their phylogenetic utility. The University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Michael Scholich
    2018 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Systematics and host associations of Labium parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Labeninae) using an integrated molecular (COI) and morphological approach The University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Madalene Giannotta

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2019 - ongoing Secretary Society of Australian Systematic Biologists Society of Australian Systematic Biologists Australia
    2016 - 2020 Representative Australian Entomological Society Australian Entomological Society Australia
    2015 - ongoing Council International Society of Hymenopterists International Society of Hymenopterists Australia

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing Editor Austral Entomology The University of Adelaide Australia
  • Position: Grant-Funded Researcher (B)
  • Email: erinn.fagan-jeffries@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Darling, floor Ground Floor
  • Room: G17
  • Org Unit: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
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