Erinn P Fagan‐Jeffries

Miracinae are a small subfamily of parasitoid wasps that are under‐represented in collections and that have yet to be formally recorded from Australia. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses were performed using the barcoding region of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I ( COI ) from 11 miracine specimens collected throughout Australia, along with extralimital miracine COI sequences from the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD). Of 14 miracine sequences from Australia, 11 distinct species were identified at a 2% pairwise difference threshold. Four of these species, for which female specimens were available for morphological examination, are here described: Mirax arcisensis Slater‐Baker & Fagan‐Jeffries sp. nov. , Mirax caelicus Slater‐Baker & Fagan‐Jeffries sp. nov. , Mirax cowellensis Slater‐Baker & Fagan‐Jeffries sp. nov. and Mirax trianguliceps Slater‐Baker & Fagan‐Jeffries sp. nov. Although specimens are apparently rare in collections, these results suggest that the continent may have a much larger endemic miracine fauna and highlights the need for additional work on the subfamily in Australia. Further studies on the taxonomy and biology of Australian miracines could have important implications for conservation and may reveal opportunities for biological control strategies against leaf‐mining pests.