Oman fish biodiversity

The current work presents a comprehensive checklist of the Omani fish species. The different fish samples have been collected since the establishment of the Department of Marine Science and Fisheries (MSAF) in 1986. The fish samples identified by the MSAF were compared with the most recent published book on the Coastal Fishes of Oman. The number of Omani fishes (from both fresh water and sea water) totalled 1179, distributed in 527 genera, 165 families and 37 orders. Under the Chondrichtyes, the most diverse family was Carcharhinidae with a total of 25 species and 8 genera. The Carcharhinidae species comprised 27% of the total species identified under the Chondriichtyes. The second most diverse family was the dasyatidae with 10 species (11%) and 5 genera. Under the Ostiecthyes, the most diverse three families were the gobiidea with 37 genera and 69 species, the labridae with 26 genera and 63 species, and finally the carangidea with 20 genera and 54 species. The family and English names for the most popular families are provided as well.