This checklist presents some of the results of the Marine Biodiversity Survey of Oman.  The checklist currently draws only on the collections databased at the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), where the bulk of the samples have been deposited, but plans include incorporating other participating collections once feasible.  Databasing of this collection is ongoing, as is the addition of images.  Identification work is also continuing, and the preliminary identifications of many species will change as these get studied.  Note also that only taxa represented in the InvertEBase taxonomic thesaurus are loaded, thus samples identified to genus or higher taxa, or with provisional species names could not be included.  All taxa (an estimated 3,000-4,000 species) are however available through the FLMNH collection database (http://specifyportal.flmnh.ufl.edu/iz/). 

This survey was carried out by an international team of taxonomists (the authors) to document marine life in the coastal waters of the Sultanate of Oman, in collaboration with Sultan Qaboos University, the Environmental Authority of Oman, Oman Plant and Genetic Resources Center, and Five Oceans, with the logistic support of Naser Al-Khanjari (Omanta Scuba Diving Academy), Musallam Zidan (Salalah Diving and Marine Services Company), Sergey Dobretsov (SQU), Simon Wilson and Haitham Al-Wahaibi (5 Oceans), Nancy Stauft, and David and Leslie Bosch.  We are also grateful to many people who helped with aspects of the field work, other taxonomists who helped with identifications, the Royal Air Force of Oman for facilitating access on Masirah Island, and the US National Science Foundation for funding.