Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have named 12 newly discovered species of plant-feeding insects from Australia after Taylor Swift, in a paper published in the journal Insect Systematics and Evolution. The new genus, Swiftiephylus, combines "Swiftie" with "phylus," a common suffix for this insect group, while four species carry Latin-derived names referencing Swift and her albums. The naming was led by entomology doctoral student Sarah Schroeder, who hoped the association would raise the profile of both the insects and the wider cause of insect conservation.

The insects live exclusively on Australian she-oaks and are pale yellow with red markings, which Schroeder likened to Swift's blonde hair and red lips, suggesting the colouring may help them camouflage among the plants' reddish flowers. They belong to Miridae, the largest family of true bugs, and pose no threat to humans or animals. The specimens were originally collected between 1995 and 2004 during a joint biodiversity survey by the American Museum of Natural History and Australian researchers, part of a haul of more than 50,000 specimens that has taken decades to formally catalogue.