A revision of Benedenia Diesing, 1858 including a redescription of B-sciaenae (van Beneden, 1856) Odhner, 1905 and recognition of Menziesia Gibson, 1976 (Monogenea : Capsalidae)

Benedenia Diesing, 1858, a genus of capsalid (benedeniine) monogeneans, is redefined. The generic diagnosis is amended to include: the path of tendons in the haptor from extrinsic muscles in the body; presence and form of the marginal valve; a penis occupying a penis canal with weakly muscular wall; a weakly muscular accessory gland reservoir proximal to the penis and encl osed by a proximal extension of the wall of the penis canal; male and femal e genital apertures usually common, rarely separate; vagina with pore usual ly close to the common genital pore but may open in mid body between the ge rmarium and the common genital pore. or anterior to the common genital pore . A conservative approach is adopted and the generic diagnosis is clarified and broadened to accommodate species that display some variation in reprod uctive anatomy, especially of the female system. We argue against potential alternative actions such as defining Benedenia strictly to contain species with separate male and female genital apertures and against recognition of a separate genus, Tareenia Hussey, 1986, for species with a vaginal pore a nterior to the common genital pore. Under our conception, Benedenia compris es 21 species: B. sciaenae (van Beneden, 1856) Odhner, 1905 (type species); B. acanthopagri (Hussey, 1986) comb. nov.; B. anticavaginata Byrnes, 1986; B. bodiani Yamaguti, 1968; B. elongata (Yamaguti, 1968) Egorova, 1997; B. epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1937) Meserve, 1938; B. hawaiiensis Yamaguti, 1968; B . hendorffi(von Linstow, 1889) Odhner, 1905; B. hoshinai Ogawa, 1984; B. in nobilitata Burhnheim Gomes and Varela, 1973: B. jaliscana Bravo-Hollis, 195 2; B. lolo Yamaguti, 1968; B. lutjani Whittington and Kearn, 1993: B. monti cellii (Parona and Perugia, 1895) Johnston, 1929; B. ovata (Goto, 1894) Joh nston. 1929: B. pompatica Burhnheim, Gomes and Varela, 1973; B. rohdei Whit tington, Kearn and Beverley-Burton, 1994; B. scari Yamaguti, 1968; B. sekii (Yamaguti, 1937) Meserve, 1938; B, seriolae (Yamaguti, 1934) Meserve, 1938 ; and B. synagris Yamaguti, 1953. The type species, B. sciaenae, is redescr ibed based on new material from Australia. No types for this taxon were des ignated and we have assigned a series of voucher specimens. Tareenia acanth opagri Hussey, 1986 becomes B. acanthopagri (Hussey, 1986) comb. nov. and T . anticavaginata (Byrnes, 1986) Egorova, 1997 and T. lutjani (Whittington a nd Kearn, 1993) Egorova, 1997 are returned to Benedenia as B. anticavaginat a and B. lutjani Benedenia akaisaki Iwata, 1990 is considered a synonym of B. ovata and B. kintoki Iwata, 1990 is considered a synonym of B. elongata. Two species, B, madai Ishii and Sawada, 1938 and B. pagrosomi Ishii and Sa wada, 1938, are considered species inquirendae. Based on the redefinition o f Benedenia, the diagnosis for the Benedeniinae is amended. Tareenia is syn onymized with Benedenia but Menziesia Gibson, 1976 is recognized and its ge neric diagnosis amended to include: anterior attachment organs tending to f orm a 'hooded' appearance; prominent anterior gland cells between the phary nx and the anterior margin of the body: long penis, tapering proximally, oc cupying a penis canal with weakly muscular wall: penis canal and penis desc ribe a sigmoid; accessory gland reservoir dorsal and alongside, or posterio r and lateral to, proximal end of the penis and enclosed by a proximal exte nsion of the wall of the penis canal. Under this conception. Menziesia comp rises: M. noblei (Menzies. 1946) Gibson, 1976 (type species); M. malaboni ( Velasquez. 1982) comb. nov.: M. merinthe (Yamaguti, 1968) Gibson. 1976: M. ovalis (Yamaguti, 1968) Gibson, 1976: and M. sebastodis (Yamaguti, 1934) co mb, nov. A key to valid species of Benedenia and Menziesia is provided and a list is presented of published records of undescribed or unattributed species of B enedenia. Some protocols are suggested for preparation of benedeniine mater ial to enhance future taxonomic studies and comparisons. The host-specifici ty and geographic distribution of species in these revised genera are discu ssed. The composition of the Capsalidae is discussed and some difficulties in defining and distinguishing between its different subfamilies are consid ered.