The study of a benthic macroinvertebrate collection from the Iranian coasts off Assaluyeh led to obtain the first data on the cumacean fauna of the Persian Gulf. During two sampling campaigns carried out in August 1998 and November 2002, eight species belonging to the families Bodotriidae and Nannastacidae were collected. Four of them are new to science, namely Cyclaspis adiastolos, E ocuma carinocurvum, Heterocuma inerme and Pseudosympodomma persicum. All new species, and two rare ones (i.e. Cumella sp. and Eocuma travancoricum), are described and keys to the species of Heterocuma and Psedosympodomma are provided. The local distribution of the cumacean assemblages off Assaluyeh is characterized by its homogeneity during the different sampling periods.

The study was partly financed by a research contract between the CEAB (CSIC) and the French company CREOCEAN and was partly sponsored by TOTAL.

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Peer reviewed