Three new species of Benedenia Diesing, 1858 from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia with a key to species of the genus

Abstract

Three new species of Benedenia are described from the Great Barrier Reef: B. ernsti n. sp., B. fieldsi n. sp. and B. haywardi n. sp. Allobenedenia ishikawae (Goto, 1894) Yamaguti, 1963 does not fit the diagnosis of Allobenedenia Yamaguti, 1963 as amended by Yang, Kritsky & Sun, 2004 and we return it to Benedenia as B. ishikawae (Goto, 1894) Monticelli, 1902. We consider Benedenia sargocentron Zhang, Yang & Liu, 2001 a synonym of B. hawaiiensis. Benedenia now consists of 25 species with a broad range of morphological variations, host relationships and microhabitats. A key to species of Benedenia is presented. Benedenia fieldsi may pose a significant risk to sea cage aquaculture of its serranid hosts.