Family Luidiidae Sladen, 1889

Four species of Luidia are known from the Persian Gulf, three of which, L. hardwicki, L. maculata and L. prionota have been recorded frequently in the region. Despite extensive surveys, L. quinaria has not been re-encountered since it was apparently collected from the extreme north of the Persian Gulf by the R.I.M.S Investigator (Koehler 1910). We have not been able to examine this specimen, but the similarity of this species with other more widely reported species in the region, none of which were reported by Koehler and lack of subsequent collection, suggests that the status of this taxon within the Gulf should be treated as suspect.