Bennelongia

Bennelongia is a genus of ostracod crustaceans in the family Cyprididae. It is probably endemic to Australia and New Zealand, and is predicted to be highly diverse. The genus was described in 1981 and named after Woollarawarre Bennelong, the first aboriginal to have a long association with the early European settlers of Australia. Prior to 2012, six species were described in Australia. There are currently 15 species of Bennelongia. Bennelongia may be the last true descendant genus of the Mesozoic (and now extinct) lineage of Cypridea, which was a dominant lineage of ostracod in non-marine waters in the Cretaceous.