Littoral Pycnogonida from Oman

Abstract

Sixteen species of Pycnogonida are recorded from littoral or very shallow waters (0-3 m) of the coast of Oman. Four species are new to science: Ammothella omanensis , Achelia boschi , A. lagenaria , and Pycnogonum moolenbeeki . Since up to now no littoral Pycnogonida have been recorded from the Arabian peninsula, all other species are new to this region, with the exception of one which was recorded from deeper waters off Oman before. For some of them the range is considerably extended.