and associates of the pearl oyster Pinctadafucata (Gould); marine fouling organisms; new records for polychaetous annelids; hydrological features of the Arabian Gulf. AbstractResults are presented from a three-year investigation of the relationship between accumulations of marine fouling organisms and growth of the pearl oyster Pinctadafucata (Gould). Estimates are provided of the diversity of the foulers, and data on certain hydrological features of the experimental site are also given.There was an inverse correlation between growth of the pearl oyster and diversity of the biofouling assemblages, whatever depth. Growth curves did not follow seasonal variations in the environmental factors very exactly. It was also observed that the polychaete, Polydora vulgaris Mohammad, preferred the oysters planted on the bottom to those suspended near the surface. Bottom oysters suffered the highest mortality, but definite evidence of a relationship between mortality and infestation by the polychaete was not apparent. Percentages of both infestation and mortality were higher among the fouled oysters than those cleaned periodically.

A total of 79 species of polychaetous annelids, belonging to 28 families, have been identified Among these, three are named as new to science and 29 are indicated as new to the Arabian Gulf.

A collection of Polychaeta made by the author during 1969 from the coast of Kuwait has been studied. Nineteen species, belonging to 17 genera and 11 families, are described. Nine species are named as new to science (two new genera) and ten species are recorded as new to the fauna of the Arabian Gulf. Also, the available information on the geographical distribution has been given for each new record.

A systematic account of a collection of polvchaete annelids from four Kuwaitian islands, Arabian Gulf, is given together with ecological notes. The whole collection comprises 45 species, in 22 families. Of these, four species are named as new and ten are recorded as new to the fauna of the Arabian Gulf. The new species and records are: Anastrosyllis rigida, Brania balani new combination, Perinereis nigropunctata, Perinereis vancaurica, Onuphis eremita, Pkyh kubbarensis sp. nov., Scolelepis indica, Poecilochaetus serpens, Mesochaetopterus minutus, Parasclerocheilus branchiatus, Scyphoproctus aciculatus sp. nov., Clymenura annulata sp. nov., Pista unibranchiata and Telothelepus macrothoracicus sp. nov.

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