History and current checklist of Kuwaitʹs ichthyofauna

Modern ichthyology in Kuwait began nearly 30 years ago with the publication in 1972 of Kuronuma & Abeʹs Fishes of Kuwait. In it, they listed 130 species spread among 64 families. Two additional books have been published on Kuwaitʹs ichthyofauna, but none has included a complete list of the fishes reported to occur in the country. This paper reviews briefly the history of ichthyology in Kuwait, selected oversights and misidentifications, and provides a current list of fish species using the latest terminology. At present, Kuwaitʹs fish list includes 345 species representing 95 families. The establishment of a national reference collection is suggested in order to maintain voucher specimens and document changes among Kuwaitʹs marine biota due to current irreversible environmental alterations.