Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD

Hi!

I'm Perry (they/she), an entomologist and evolutionary biologist. I use genetics to shed light on the biodiversity and evolution of Earth's largest group of animals: insects.I'm interested in species that have evolved in isolation for extended periods of time, like cave fauna. My aim is to extract insights for long-term conservation outcomes, including naming new species.Outside of my day-to-day work, I'm passionate about elevating the visibility of LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent people working in STEMM.

Research

Outreach

Education


My research focuses on the hidden, underground biodiversity in Australia's caves, burrows, and aquifers.Understanding how these animals have evolved gives us the best chance of conserving them—and their unique habitats—long into the future.Read more


I'm passionate about invertebrate advocacy and education.I've contributed to scientific outreach through radio and podcast interviews, short films, art festivals, and more.Read more



Ph.D. (2021), The University of SydneyHB.Sc. (2016), The University of AdelaideB.Sc. (2015), The University of Adelaide


Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD

Featured research

For older publications, visit my Google Scholar profile.

Journals I've reviewed for

  • Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny

  • Austral Entomology

  • Australian Journal of Taxonomy

  • Communications Biology

  • Ecology and Evolution

  • European Journal of Taxonomy

  • Evolution & Development

  • Functional Ecology

  • Insect Science

  • Invertebrate Systematics

  • Limnology and Oceanography

  • Molecular Ecology

  • New Zealand Journal of Zoology

  • One Earth

  • Scientific Reports

  • Systematic Entomology

Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD

Media engagement

Speaking and writing

Service to organisations

Current

Past

Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD

List of publications

Upcoming

2025

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Eberhard, S M. (2025). Diversity and distribution of cave crickets in the genus Micropathus Richards, 1964, threatened short-range endemics from Tasmanian wet forest (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae). European Journal of Taxonomy 1012: 239-267.

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Trewick, S A, Eberhard, S M et al. (2025). Molecular phylogenetics illuminates the evolutionary history and hidden diversity of Australian cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae). Systematic Entomology 126: 153-161.

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Trewick, S A, Hedges, B A et al. (2025). Integrative taxonomy and systematics of the Australian cave cricket genus Speleotettix Chopard (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae): new species, distribution, and conservation implications. Austral Entomology 64: e70011.

  • Hedges, B A, Beasley-Hall, P G, Berry, T et al. (2025). Environmental DNA reveals temporal and spatial variability of invertebrate communities in arid-lands ephemeral water bodies. Marine and Freshwater Research MF24243.

  • Guzik, M T et al. (2025). What are the best practices for curating eDNA custom barcode reference libraries? A case study using Australian subterranean fauna. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 146: blaf053. [NB: P. G. Beasley-Hall is author 9/21.]

2024

  • Iannello, S, Beasley-Hall, P G (2024). Ecology and evolution of Eburnocauda gen. nov. (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae), a cave cricket from Australian granite pseudokarst. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 73: 1–9.

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Hedges, B A, Cooper, S J B, Austin, A D, Guzik, M T (2024). A comprehensive review of South Australia's Great Artesian Basin spring and discharge wetlands biota. Marine and Freshwater Research 75: MF24118.

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Kinjo, Y, Rose, H A, Walker, J, Foster, C S P, Kovacs, T G L, Bourguignon, T, Ho, S Y W, Lo, N (2024). Shrinking in the dark: Parallel endosymbiont genome erosions are associated with repeated host transitions to an underground life. Insect Science 31: 1810-1821.

  • Balart-García, P, Bradford, T, Beasley-Hall, P G, Polak, S, Ribera, I, Cooper, S J B, Fernandez, R (2024). Highly dynamic evolution of the chemosensory gene repertoire driven by gene gain and expansion across subterranean beetles. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 194: 108027.

2023

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Murphy, N P, King, R A, White, N E, Hedges, B A, Cooper, S J B, Austin, A D, Guzik, M T (2023). Time capsules of biodiversity: future research directions for groundwater-dependent ecosystems of the Great Artesian Basin. Frontiers in Environmental Science 10: 1021987.

  • Balart-García, P, Aristide, L, Bradford, T, Beasley-Hall, P G, Polak, S, Ribera, I, Cooper, S J B, Fernandez, R (2023). Parallel and convergent genomic changes underlie independent subterranean colonization across beetles. Nature Communications 14: 3842.

2022

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Bertozzi, T, Bradford, T M, Foster, C S P, Jones, K, Tierney, S M, Humphreys, W F, Austin, A D, Cooper, S J B (2022). Differential transcriptomic responses to heat stress in surface and subterranean diving beetles. Scientific Reports 12: 16194.

  • Jones, B R, Brock, P D, Mantovani, B, Beasley-Hall, P G, Yeates, D K, Lo, N (2022). Integrative taxonomy of the stick insect genus Austrocarausius Brock, 2000 (Phasmatodea: Lonchodidae) reveals cryptic species in remnant Queensland rainforests. Invertebrate Systematics 36, 849–873.

  • Langille B L, Tierney S M, Bertozzi T, Beasley-Hall, P G, Bradford T M, Fagan-Jeffries E P, Hyde J, Leijs R, Richardson M, Saint KM, Stringer DN, Villastrigo A, Humphreys WF, Austin A D, Cooper S J B (2022). Parallel decay of vision genes in subterranean water beetles. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 173, 107522.

2021

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Rose, H A, et al. (2021). Digging deep: a revised phylogeny of Australian burrowing cockroaches (Blaberidae: Panesthiinae, Geoscapheinae) confirms extensive nonmonophyly and provides insights into biogeography and evolution of burrowing. Systematic Entomology 46, 767–783.

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Rose, H A, et al. (2021). Molecular systematics and biogeography of an Australian soil burrowing cockroach with polymorphic males, Geoscapheus dilatatus (Blattodea: Blaberidae: Geoscapheinae). Austral Entomology 60, 317–329.

  • Hogg, C, Morrison, C, et al. (2021). Using phylogenetics to explore inter-species genetic rescue options for a critically endangered parrot. Conservation Science and Practice e483. [Note: P. G. Beasley-Hall is author 5/10.]

2019

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Chui, J, et al. (2019). Evidence for a complex evolutionary history of mound building in the Australian nasute termites (Nasutitermitinae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 126, 304–314.

2018

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Lee, T R C, et al. (2018). Multiple abiotic factors correlate with parallel evolution in Australian soil burrowing cockroaches. Journal of Biogeography 45, 1515–1528.

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Tierney, S M, et al. (2018). A revised phylogeny of macropathine cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) uncovers a paraphyletic Australian fauna. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 126, 153–161.

Policy contributions

  • University of Adelaide Environment Institute (2024). Submission on A New Biodiversity Act for South Australia submitted to the Biodiversity Coordination Unit, Department for Environment and Water, Government of South Australia. Available online here.

  • Umbers, K, Beasley-Hall, P G (2021). IUCN Red List assessment for the Kosciuszko Metallic Cockroach (Polyzosteria viridissima). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T190512630A196182036.

Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD

Current

Previous

  • Honorary Associate, The University of Sydney, 2021–2023

  • Project Officer in Evolutionary Genomics, South Australian Museum, 2022

  • Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of Adelaide, August 2020–2022

Grants

  • Beasley-Hall, P. G, Eberhard, S M, Trewick, S (2025). Tactical taxonomy of cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae) hidden in wet forest. Australian Biological Resources Study National Taxonomy Research Grant Program. $330,000. Principal Investigator.

  • Marsh, J R, Wood, J, Beasley-Hall, P G, Cooper, S J B (2025). A fragile window into the past: informing conservation of cave biodiversity with ancient invertebrate DNA. Hermon Slade Foundation. $86,617. Joint Investigator.

  • Marsh, J R, Beasley-Hall, P G, Cooper, S J B, Harvey, M, Rix, M, Wood, J (2024). Conserving caves: Developing tools to safeguard subterranean biodiversity. Australian Research Council Early Career Industry Fellowship. $482,830. Joint Investigator.

  • Shaw, M, Beasley-Hall, P G (2023). Solving the evolutionary puzzle of climate outliers: description of new cave and mallee mites (Dermanyssiae: Ologamasidae) as part of the Yalata Bush Blitz. Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. $15,000. Joint Investigator.

  • Beasley-Hall, P G, Austin, A D, Cooper, S J B, Reed, E, Trewick, S (2022). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae): an enigmatic and at-risk fauna. Australian Biological Resources Study National Taxonomy Research Grant Program. $330,000. Principal Investigator.

  • Beasley-Hall, P. G (2022). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae): an enigmatic and at-risk fauna. Australian Speleological Federation Karst Conservation Fund. $15,000. Principal Investigator.

  • Papadelos, P, Beasley-Hall, P. G, Hewitt, A, Umbers, K, Guzik, M T, Beasley, C. (2022). Science communication behind the scenes?: Interrogating the role of women in professional life sciences societies. The University of Adelaide ABLE Interdisciplinary Research Grant. $10,000. Co-chief Investigator.

Awards

  • Creating Positive Change Fellowship, Conservation Council of South Australia, 2024

  • Emerging Leaders Program scholarship ($5,950), Environment Institute, 2021

  • Best student presentation, Australian Entomological Society, 2019

  • Best presentation, SOLES Postgraduate Showcase, The University of Sydney, 2019

  • Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme ($3,000), The University of Sydney, 2019

  • Graduate Student Research Award ($2,700), Society of Systematic Biologists, 2018

  • Phil Carne Prize finalist, Australian Entomological Society, 2018

  • Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme ($1,300), The University of Sydney, 2018

  • Early PhD Student Travel Grant, Australian Entomological Society, 2017

  • Best presentation finalist, SOLES Postgraduate Showcase, The University of Sydney, 2017

  • Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship ($75,000), 2017

  • Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, The University of Adelaide, 2015

  • Adelaide Summer Research Scholarship at the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, The University of Adelaide, 2014

  • Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, The University of Adelaide, 2014

Teaching

  • Tutor, Principles & Practice of Research (Advanced) II, The University of Adelaide, 2024

  • Lecturer and organising committee member, 8th National Postgraduate Training Workshop in Systematics, The University of Adelaide, 2022

  • Teaching assistant, The University of Sydney, 2017-2020

  • Instructor, Taming the BEAST Down Under, 2019

  • Instructor, Sydney Phylogenetics Workshop, 2017-2019

  • Teaching assistant, The University of Adelaide, 2016

Professional development & service

  • People & Culture Committee, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, 2024–

  • Connect & Share on Neurodiversity, The University of Adelaide, 2024

  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion co-design workshop, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, The University of Adelaide, 2023

  • Diversity and Inclusion Forum, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, The University of Adelaide, 2022

  • Developing Positive Partnerships Program, The University of Adelaide, 2021

  • Emerging Leaders Program, Environment Institute, 2021