William Saville-Kent (10 July 1845 – 11 October 1908) was an English marine biologist, naturalist, Commissioner and Inspector of Tasmanian Fisheries and author.

Constance had initially been detained and questioned, but was released as a result of her high social status.

[5] Saville-Kent was educated at King's College London, and then at the Royal School of Mines under T. H. Huxley.

In 1870, Saville-Kent received a grant from the Royal Society to conduct a dredging survey off Portugal.

[7] His book documentation of the Great Barrier Reef was the pioneering publication, attracted worldwide attention, and was for decades the definitive work on this landform.

[8] His sister Constance had joined him in Australia in 1886, changing her name to Ruth Emilie Kaye and training as a nurse.

While at the Brighton Aquarium he witnessed a lobster lay eggs and charted the growth and development of the offspring.