Erratum: Corrigendum: Salvi D, Al-Kandari M, Oliver PG, Berrilli E, Garzia M (2022) Cryptic marine diversity in the northern Arabian Gulf: an integrative approach uncovers a new species of oyster (Bivalvia: Ostreidae), Ostreaoleomargarita. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 2022: 7058975. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7058975.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/7058975.].

Three new species of temporary fish parasite, Gnathiid Isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothoida) from Kuwait.

Gnathiid isopods (Crustacea) were collected between 2014 and 2022 from various sites in shallow waters of the Kuwait coasts. Three new species of gnathiids are described: Caecognathia alsalmiyah sp. nov. is characterised by the well-extended, distally pointed with three cusps supraocular lobe and the presence of pylopod with four articles; Elaphognathia alshumaimah sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by having an elongated, distally curved mandible, with a single pronounced conical internal lobe; Gnathia kuwaitensis sp. nov. is easily distinguished from the other species of the genus Gnathia by the conical mediofrontal process, which is slightly sunken and having pronounced superior frontolateral process, with median notch distally.

An annotated checklist of the Amphipoda (Crustacea) of Kuwait, north-western Arabian Gulf.

Kuwaits intertidal and subtidal habitats were surveyed from 2013 to 2016 for amphipods, and earlier records from Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf were compared to provide the first annotated checklist of Amphipoda in Kuwait. A total of 82 sites in mainland and islands were surveyed including intertidal and subtidal zones. The resulting data identified 86 amphipod taxa belonging to 54 genera, 32 families and 3 suborders, including 20 new records to science that are currently being described. A total of 46 amphipod species, 34 genera and 19 families constituted new regional records either for Kuwait or the entire Gulf area. Information on local distribution, occurrence, and habitat are provided for each species. Within the tidal zonation, 50 species inhabited both the intertidal and subtidal areas, 19 were intertidal, 12 subtidal, and 3 species were found in the supratidal zone. Sandy and rocky shores supported the most diverse amphipod assemblages. A gradient of increasing amphipod species richness from north to south along Kuwaits mainland coastline was revealed. The high level of regional endemism supported notable taxonomic distinction of the amphipod fauna of Kuwait from the other Gulf areas. Compositional dissimilarity among amphipod faunas increased with distance within a wide longitudinal gradient across the Gulf, Sea of Oman, and north-western Arabian Sea.

Diversity and distribution of the Isopoda (Crustacea, Peracarida) of Kuwait, with an updated checklist.

Thirty-eight species of Isopoda, belonging to 13 families and 29 genera, are listed from Kuwait based on previous literature records (of 17 species) and collections carried out along Kuwait's coastal and subtidal zones during the present study. The majority of species belongs to the suborder Cymothoida (23), followed by Sphaeromatidea (9), Oniscidea (3), Valvifera (2), and Asellota (1). In total, 25 species were collected and identified from 12 families and 22 genera from Kuwaiti coastal and subtidal areas. These include eight families, 15 genera, and 21 species recorded for the first time from Kuwait. Isopod diversity was highest in the sandy rock areas, including southern Kuwait, particularly in Al-Khiran and Al-Nuwaiseeb, and in mixed habitat (muddy, rocky, and sandy) intertidal transects such as in Failaka Island. The species number increased from the subtidal and lowest zones into the high tidal zone. Isopods were found in sandy substrata, among shells, cobbles, rocks, dead corals, and algae.

A new species of Polyophthalmus (Annelida, Opheliidae) from the Arabian Gulf, with an insight on internal anatomy and diversity of the genus.

Polyophthalmus zhadanae sp. nov. (Annelida, Opheliidae), is described from the coast of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (Arabian Gulf) after specimens collected in the intertidal and shallow subtidal. This new species is characterised by the body pigmentation pattern, distribution of lateral eyes, presence of small dorsal and ventral parapodial cirri and pygidial features. External and internal anatomy was described after examination with SEM and micro-CT. The presence of several body structures in the genus such as a cephalic palpode-like papilla is discussed. Furthermore, the diversity of genus Polyophthalmus and the presence of Polyophthalmus pictus (Dujardin, 1839) in the Indo-Pacific is reviewed and a key to species is provided.

New records of nudibranchs and a cephalaspid from Kuwait, northwestern Arabian Gulf (Mollusca, Heterobranchia).

In this study five new records and two probably undescribed species of heterobranch sea slugs placed in four genera, three families, and two orders are reported from Kuwait, northwestern Arabian / Persian Gulf with details and photographs. The present study increases the heterobranch diversity in Kuwaiti waters from 35 to 40 species. The range of habitats in Kuwait provides a vital opportunity for further investigation to understand the actual faunal diversity.

Molecular and morphological systematics of a new, reef forming, cupped oyster from the northern Arabian Gulf: Talonostrea salpinx new species.

The rocky northern shores of Kuwait and those of the western, inner shores of Kuwait Bay are dominated by a small, densely encrusting oyster. The identity of this oyster has never been confirmed and was mistaken previously for a small Saccostrea. The shell morphology suggests that this species belongs to the subfamily Crassostreinae, but within that subfamily, the presence of marginal erect trumpet-shaped projections is so far unique. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data confirmed that this species belongs to the Crassostreinae and has a sister position to the clade including Talonostrea talonata and T. zhanjiangensis. Genetic distance between this species and Talonostrea species is remarkably high, being ~20% for the cytochrome oxidase I gene and ~7% for the 16S rRNA gene. Based on morphological and molecular analyses, this oyster is therefore described here as Talonostrea salpinx Oliver, Salvi & Al-Kandari, sp. nov. Shell morphology is shown to be variable, and the different forms encountered are described. The wider distribution and origins of this species, whether native or introduced, are discussed.

On two species of the alpheid shrimp genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955 from Kuwait, one of them new to science (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Caridea).

The alpheid genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955 is reported from Kuwait for the first time, with two species. One species, Salmoneus ikaros sp. nov., is described based on a single specimen from Failaka Island, extracted from the burrow of the callianassid ghost-shrimp Balsscallichirus masoomi (Tirmizi, 1970), together with the host. The new species is characterised by its peculiar eyes, which together with other characters separate it from all previously described species of Salmoneus. The second species, Salmoneus gracilipes Miya, 1972, is reported from Kuwait based on three specimens from two different localities and different habitats. Two specimens were found under coral rocks at a depth of about 7 m off Kubbar Island, whereas the third specimen was extracted from the burrow of the echiuran worm, Listriolobus cf. brevirostris Chen Yeh, 1958, at the type locality of S. ikaros sp. nov. at Failaka Island. Material identified as S. gracilipes from across its wide distribution range appears to be morphologically heterogeneous, possibly containing more than one species, and thus will need further studies.

New records of decapod crustaceans from Kuwait (Malacostraca: Decapoda).

Seventeen species of shrimp-like decapod crustaceans (infraorders Caridea, Axiidea and Gebiidea) and two species of porcelain crabs (infraorder Anomura) are recorded for the first time from Kuwait, some of them also representing new records for the Arabian Gulf. The new records from Kuwait are: (1) Alpheus edamensis De Man, 1888; (2) Alpheus edwardsii (Audouin, 1826); (3) Alpheus macrodactylus Ortmann, 1890; (4) Alpheus maindroni Coutière, 1898; (5) Arete indicus Coutière, 1903; (6) Athanas parvus De Man, 1910; (7) Synalpheus gracilirostris De Man, 1910 [all Alpheidae]; (8) Latreutes mucronatus (Stimpson, 1860) [Hippolytidae]; (9) Thor paschalis (Heller, 1862) [Thoridae] (10) Periclimenella pettithouarsii (Audouin, 1826); (11) Anchistus custos (Forskål, 1775); (12) Urocaridella pulchella Yokes Galil, 2006 [all Palaemonidae]; (13) Chlorocurtis jactans (Nobili, 1904) [Chlorotocellidae]; (14) Upogebia carinicauda (Stimpson, 1860); (15) Upogebia octoceras Nobili, 1904 [Upogebiidae]; (16) Balsscallichirus masoomi (Tirmizi, 1970), (17) Michaelcallianassa indica Sakai, 2002 [Callianassidae]; (18) Raphidopus persicus Ng, Safaie Naser, 2012 and Polyonyx obesulus Miers, 1884 [Porcellanidae]. Most of these taxa have been previously recorded from other parts of the Arabian Gulf, mainly from the coasts of Iran and the United Arab Emirates, except for A. maindroni and U. pulchella, which are recorded from the Arabian Gulf for the first time. Most species are shown in colour photographs, some for the first time. In addition, the presence of Synalpheus quinquedens Tattersall, 1921 (Alpheidae), previously known from Kuwait based only on a questionable record in a popular field guide, is confirmed based on a single collected and preserved specimen.

Taxonomic notes on Alpheus inopinatus Holthuis amp; Gottlieb, 1958 and Alpheus cf. lobidens De Haan, 1849 from Kuwait (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Alpheidae).

The status of the common intertidal snapping shrimp, Alpheus inopinatus Holthuis Gottlieb, 1958, is discussed based on newly collected material from Kuwait. Alpheus inopinatus was previously confused with morphologically very similar species in the Alpheus lobidens De Haan, 1849 species complex, formerly identified as A. crassimanus Heller, 1862 and herein tentatively referred to as A. cf. lobidens. The material herein examined strongly supports the validity of A. inopinatus based on several morphological characters, as well as differences in the colour pattern, compared to other members of the A. lobidens complex.

Psoriasis Among Adolescents in Kuwait and the Role of Siblings, Breastfeeding, and Household Cat and Secondhand Smoke Exposure: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Globally, the epidemiology of psoriasis is poorly understood, and most countries lack essential epidemiologic data regarding disease burden and its determinants. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of psoriasis among adolescents in Kuwait and assess its association with different risk factors, including obesity, sibship size, breastfeeding, and exposure to household secondhand smoke (SHS) and pets. METHODS: Schoolchildren aged 11-14 years (n = 3864) were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Lifetime and current (past 12 months) prevalence of psoriasis were ascertained according to ever having a history of doctor-diagnosis plus current active lesion(s) and/or current use of treatment of psoriasis. Associations were assessed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation, and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. RESULTS: The lifetime and current prevalence of psoriasis were estimated to be 3.6% (136/3806) and 1.1% (42/3806), respectively. Commonly reported anatomical sites affected by psoriasis included scalp (47.6%) and the extensor surface of the knees (50%) and elbows (38.1%). Household SHS exposure was associated with increased lifetime psoriasis (aPR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.07-1.98), and showed a trend for association with current psoriasis (1.77, 0.89-3.53). Similarly, cat-keeping during infancy was associated with lifetime psoriasis (1.96, 1.14-3.37), and demonstrated a trend for association with current psoriasis (1.49, 0.52-1.98). In contrast, breastfeeding was associated with a decreased lifetime psoriasis (0.62, 0.44-0.89), but was not associated with current psoriasis. Trend analyses showed that the prevalence of lifetime and current psoriasis increased with increasing numbers of total, older, and younger siblings. CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis affects a considerable proportion of schoolchildren in Kuwait. Interestingly, psoriasis prevalence was related to risk factors also found in allergic diseases, such as exposure to SHS, cat-keeping in infancy, breastfeeding, and sibship size, possibly suggesting a role of immune dysregulation.

Review of Non-Communicable Disease Research Activity in Kuwait: Where is the Evidence for the Best Practice?

BACKGROUND: Kuwait, a small country in the Middle East, is now facing rapid development, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounting for the majority of deaths. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we review trends in NCD research productivity in Kuwait and examine to what extent it is aligned with disease burden. METHODS: Systematic mapping of NCD papers produced between January 2000 and December 2013 yielded 893 publications. These were defined according to study design, study focus, and risk factors examined. Research gaps were assessed by examining disparities between literature produced and cause-specific proportional mortality rates (PMR) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). FINDINGS: While annual publication rates increased more than two-fold during the study period, many of the study methodologies were descriptive (58%). Only 2.6% were based on high-evidence interventional studies. Cancer, CVD, and diabetes featured in 38.1%, 15.1%, and 9.2% of the publications, respectively. Compared to PMR and DALYs, there was a surplus of cancer research, most of which were laboratory-based studies (27.6%) or of the case-report/case-series study type (26.5%). Smoking was more likely to be addressed in relation to CVD (32.6%) than diabetes (6.1%) or cancer (2.1%). Physical inactivity was mostly examined in its relation to diabetes (14.6%), with negligible representation in the remaining study focus (range 0.3% to 2.2%). CONCLUSION: NCD research production in Kuwait is not aligned with disease burden or health priorities. We recommend a coordinated action between funding agencies, universities, and researchers in Kuwait to guide development of a comprehensive research agenda that is responsive to the country's emerging needs.