Oman
The Muscat Gazelle (BHL) (iNaturalist) is sometimes considered a full species distinct from the more widespread Arabian Gazelle. The Arabian Tahr Arabitragus jayakari (ARKive WM) is nearly restricted to Oman as it barely extends into the United Arab Emirates.
Reptiles unique to Oman include the Omani Spiny-tailed
Lizard (Hanne
& Jens Eriksen WM),
the Dhofar Agama (iNaturalist),
the Sharqiyah Toad-headed Agama (iNaturalist),
the
Masira
Fringe-fingered Lizard (lacerta.de)
(iNaturalist),
the Ayun Sand Lizard (lacerta.de),
the Flat-snouted Leaf-toed Gecko (iNaturalist),
Arnold's Leaf-toed Gecko (Species
New To Science), the Mountain Leaf-toed Gecko (flickr),
a dwarf gecko Tropiocolotes
confusus (Reptile
Database), the
Sharqiyah
Short-fingered Gecko
(iNaturalist),
the Dhofar Fan-footed Gecko (iNaturalist),
the Wadi Kharrar Rock
Gecko (iNaturalist),
the Hajar Mountains Leaf-toed Gecko
(iNaturalist),
several other recently described Hemidactylus geckos
(academia.edu), the Masirah Cliff Racer (BioOne), and Gallagher's Cliff Ricer (BioOne).
Freshwater fish found solely in Oman include Garra shamal
(GBIF),
Garra
sindhi (GBIF),
the
cave-dwelling Garra
dunsirei (BioLib)
(Subterranean
Fishes), Garra
smartae (BiK-F
WM
pdf), Garra sharq
(GBIF),
Garra
longipinnis (GBIF)
(IUCN),
and
Garra gallagheri
(GBIF).
Marine fish known exclusively from Oman include the Spotfin Triplefin (FishBase),
the Smalleye Sweeper (FishBase) (iNaturalist),
the Stars-and-stripes Snakelet (FishBase) (iNaturalist),
the Orangestriped Snakelet (iNaturalist),
the Orangestripe Pipefish (Google
Books),
the Blackbar Coris (GBIF),
the Oman Cardinalfish (FishBase) (iNaturalist),
the Oman Dottyback (iNaturalist),
the Black Wrasse (FishBase) (iNaturalist),
the Flag Wrasse (FishBase) (iNaturalist),
the Frilled Perchlet (fig. 12 at BHL),
the Blackmargined Seabream
(FishBase),
the Oman Eyebrow Goby (GBIF),
the Omani Flathead (PLAZI),
and
the Oman Guitarfish (ResearchGate).
Marine fish representing endemic genera include the Two-faced Toadfish Bifax (iNaturalist)
(FishBase),
the Bighead Goby Ego
(FishBase) (iNaturalist),
and the Orangeeye Clingfish Briggsia
(ResearchGate).
Insects restricted to Oman include a geometrid moth Victoria omanensis
(p. 3 of ZSM WM pdf),
a cossid moth Neostygia
postaurantia (fig. 4 on p. 127 of zobodat
pdf), a cup moth Deltoptera
omana (AfroMoths
WM),
the grasshoppers Dhofaria
splendens (flickr)
and Cataloipus
thomasi and Sphodromerus
carapezzanus (both at ZooKeys),
a rhinoceros beetle Rhizoplatys
arabicus (Un
Monde En Couleurs), a leaf beetle Cryptocephalus geisthardti
(ResearchGate),
the click beetles Agrypnus
dhofarensis
(Elateridae)
and Adelocera omanensis
(Elateridae),
a jewel beetle Acmaeodera
chikatunovi (ResearchGate),
a spider beetle Dignomus
omanensis (Dr.
Lech Borowiec WM pdf), a darkling beetle Clitobius omanicus (ResearchGate),
a minute moss beetle Ochthebius
alhajarensis
(GBIF),
a soft-winged flower beetle Brachyattalus
albovittatus (ResearchGate),
a weevil Omanocossonus
sabulosus (ResearchGate),
a planthopper Caepovultus
deemingi (AEMNP
pdf), the bees Pseudapis
lisetae (GBIF)
and Nomioides
scaramozzinoi and Nomioides
serotinus and Nomioides
tricinctus (all at Atlas
Hymenoptera WM), the spider wasps Microcurgus
samedensis (GBIF)
and Ctenagenia wahisi
(GBIF),
a crabronid wasp Ammatomus
aljahdhamii (GBIF),
a velvet
ant
Pseudophotopsis
dhofarensis (ZooKeys),
and the ants Monomorium
dirie
(AntWiki)
and Aphaenogaster sarae
(ResearchGate).
Other endemic invertebrates include the scorpions Hottentotta pellucidus (ResearchGate) and Butheolus gallagheri (flickr), a whip spider Phrynichus dhofarensis (iNaturalist), a cave-dwelling huntsman spider Spariolenus secundus (Senckenberg WM pdf), a crevice weaver spider Sahastata wesolowskae (Species New to Science), the land snails Iranopsis omanensis (iNaturalist) and Gulella protruda (fig. 80 at ResearchGate) and Thapsia eremias (figs. 84-85 at ResearchGate), a freshwater snail Hydrobia glaucovirens (fig. 31 at ResearchGate), an isopod crustacean Somalodilloides pseudopilosus (BHL), and the amphipod crustaceans Stockigidiella aequimana (GBIF) and Glyptogidiella omanica (Zootaxa pdf).
Endemic marine molluscs include the cone
snails Conus peli
(IUCN)
and Conus
boschorum (IUCN),
a cowrie Barycypraea
teulerei (Biodiversity
J. WM pdf), a volute Lyria
leslieboschae (Eddie
Hardy),
an auger snail Terebra
omanensis (Eddie
Hardy), an abalone Haliotis
mariae (IUCN),
and a murex Muricopsis
omanensis (Eddie
Hardy). Other endemic marine invertebrates include a blue
coral Porites decasepta
(ResearchGate),
an octocoral Melithaea
davidi (ZooKeys),
a carpet sea star Patiriella
paradoxa (BHL),
a shrimp Salmoneus sultanus (ResearchGate), the crabs Indopinnixa arabica (PLAZI) and Gopkittisak ngankeea (PLAZI), a hydroid Stylaster
omanensis (ResearchGate),
a bryozoan Electra
omanensis (ResearchGate),
and a cave-dwelling sponge Tethya
omanensis (p. 32 of Univ.
Amsterdam pdf).
About 77 vascular plants are exclusive to Oman (TU
Braunschweig pdf) including Dionysia mira (ResearchGate)
(iNaturalist),
Aloe whitcombei
(Dave's
Garden), Aloe
collenetteae (Dave's
Garden), Searsia
aucheri (IUCN),
Searsia
gallagheri
(fig. 1g at ResearchGate), Salsola omanensis (Plantes
Botanique WM),
Polycarpaea jazirensis
(Kew),
Ochradenus harsusiticus (ARKive
WM),
Ziziphus
hajarensis (iNaturalist),
Campanula akhdarensis
(ARKive
WM), Cyphostemma
dhufarense (flickr),
Limonium sarcophyllum
(iNaturalist),
Pulicaria pulvinata
(fig. 1e at ResearchGate), Nanorrhinum roseiflorum (ResearchGate), Convolvulus
oppositifolius (botany.cz), Lavandula nooruddinii (iNaturalist), Suaeda
moschata (botany.cz),
Hyoscyamus gallagheri
(Hanne
& Jens Eriksen WM), Dracaena (or Sansevieria) dhofarica (flickr),
Sulcolluma ericamccoyae
(llifle),
Trichodesma cinereum
and Barleria
almughsaylensis (both at ResearchGate), Barleria
samhanensis (Gary
Brown WM), Volutaria
capillifolia (GBIF),
and Euphorbia
momccoyae (botany.cz)
(iNaturalist).
Endemic fungi include Termitomyces dhofarensis (fig. 3 at ResearchGate),
Xanthagaricus omanicus
and Xanthagaricus
appendiculatus
(both at ResearchGate),
Agaricus arabiensis
(ResearchGate),
Hymenagaricus
wadijarzeezicus (MycoKeys),
and Omania hydei
(ResearchGate).
Endemic non-vascular plants include a moss Fissidens laxetexturatus
(GBIF).
Marine algae known only from Oman include Gelidium omanensis (ResearchGate),
Pseudogrinnellia
barrattiae (Semantic
Scholar), Stirnia
prolifera (GBIF),
and Plocamium fimbriatum
(GBIF).
Portions of Oman are included in the Horn of Africa
biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots WM). Important
terrestrial ecoregions include the Al
Hajar Montane Woodlands (EoE),
the Gulf of Oman Desert and Semi-desert (EoE),
and the Arabian Peninsula Coastal Fog Desert (EoE).