To the best of our knowledge, the first investigation of benthic foraminifera in Kuwait was carried out by [
39], who identified 73 species in offshore areas around Mina Al-Ahmadi and south of Failaka Island (1 in
Figure 1). A total of 120 foraminiferal species of which 100 benthic ones was recognized by [
40] in the offshore area of Kuwait (2 in
Figure 1). Later on, twelve localities along the Kuwait shoreline and in the offshore area between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia led to the identification of 208 species and the definition of seven new species [
41] (3 in
Figure 1). The relationship between sedimentology and benthic ecology (i.e., Ostracoda and foraminifera) was investigated by [
42]. The authors identified 120 benthic foraminiferal species belonging to 50 genera; however, the complete list of the identified species was not provided (4 in
Figure 1). The marine benthic microfauna, including benthic foraminifera, was documented in tidal flat localities from Al-Sabiya to Al-Nuwaisib, including the Sulaibikhat Bay and reefal flats of Umm Al-Namil Island and Al-Akaz [
43]. Foraminifera were found to be the most abundant organisms among microfauna in the Sulaibikhat Bay, but the recognized benthic foraminiferal taxa were not provided (5 in
Figure 1). A great abundance of
Peneroplis distinctiva described as
Cribrospirolina distinctiva from the small Khor Al-Nhaim Lagoon in the Al-Khiran area was identified by [
44] (6 in
Figure 1). The area around Al-Khiran was extensively sampled in 1984–1985, with the collection of 180 stations and the ostracod and foraminiferal microfauna were investigated [
45]. They suggested a foraminiferal fauna typical of stress environments and identified 35 taxa (7 in
Figure 1). On the basis of an extensive sampling (250 stations) in Kuwait’s marine environments, coupled with the available materials [
41], the distribution of 60 common benthic foraminiferal species was documented (8 in
Figure 1) [
46]. Forty-two benthic foraminiferal species were recognized in the total assemblages (living plus dead) of the tidal and intertidal channels within two connected creeks (Khor Al-Mufateh and Khor Al-Mamlaha) in the Al-Khiran area [
47]. On the basis of the cluster analysis, the authors defined four foraminiferal assemblages, namely dry upper intertidal, wet upper intertidal, middle intertidal and lower tidal–tidal channel reflecting different environmental conditions (9 in
Figure 1). The distribution of recent benthic foraminifera around the reefal Kubbar Island was documented by [
48]. The benthic foraminifera assemblages were particularly diversified with 81 species, mainly represented by Miliolida and Rotaliida (10 in
Figure 1). In order to identify potential bioindicators of pollution, the total benthic foraminiferal assemblages were studied in the Sulaibikhat Bay [
49], leading to the recognition of 45 species (11 in
Figure 1). An extensive sampling covering the Arabian Gulf led to the identification of 94 species [
23]; however, only a few Kuwaiti localities were included (12 in
Figure 1). An investigation in the western part of the Shatt al-Arab Delta was performed to study the total (living plus dead) foraminiferal assemblages [
50]. In this study, 46 benthic foraminiferal species, mainly represented by Rotaliina, were recognized, and on the basis of the cluster analysis, three assemblages related to salinity conditions and physiographic setting were identified (13 in
Figure 1). The potential impact of draining of Iraqi marshes on the sediment quality of Northern Kuwait marine area, including Khor Sabiya (western Bubiyan area), part of the Kuwait Bay and the surrounding of three islands (Failaka, Auha and Miskan), was investigated by [
51] (14 in
Figure 1). Additionally, 63 benthic foraminiferal species were listed. Khor Iskandar is a coastal inlet located close to the Al-Khiran area and to the border of Saudi Arabia. A total of 60 benthic foraminiferal species were identified in this area that were mainly represented by Rotaliina and Miliolina [
52]. The most abundant species were
Ammonia sadoensis,
Ammonia tepida and
Ammonia umbonata (15 in
Figure 1). The response of benthic foraminiferal assemblages to the effect of trace elements was investigated in the eastern part of the Sulaibikhat Bay, an area near the Kuwait University in Shuwaikh [
53]. The study focused on seasonal sampling in winter and summer on thirty stations and led to the identification of 54 benthic foraminiferal species (16 in
Figure 1). A comprehensive investigation of the total benthic foraminifera from the polluted marine environment of the Sulaibikhat Bay was performed by [
29], who identified 45 benthic foraminiferal species, of which only one is agglutinated (17 in
Figure 1). The distribution of benthic foraminifera around the reefal Qaruh Island during the summer and winter seasons led to the identification of 60 benthic foraminiferal species [
54] (18 in
Figure 1). Benthic foraminifera were used to study the effects of two thermal pollution plants, namely Ras Al-Subiya (19a in
Figure 1) and Ras Al-Zour (19a in
Figure 1), and a total of 29 and 39 benthic foraminiferal species were identified, respectively [
55]. Environmental baseline data, including data on benthic foraminifera, were gathered to check the feasibility to construct an offshore-treated wastewater discharge in Mina Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries [
56] (20 in
Figure 1). In this technical report, a total of 39 benthic foraminiferal species was identified, and the assemblages were reported to be poorly diversified and characterized by high abnormalities at stations close to the shore line. The distribution, diversity and abundance of benthic foraminifera were studied in the northwestern part of the Arabian Gulf [
57]. Unfortunately, as in [
23], only one station falls in the Kuwait territorial waters (21 in
Figure 1). In a study aimed at evaluating the environmental quality of the Sulaibikhat Bay, a total of fifty-nine benthic foraminiferal taxa were identified in the living assemblages [
30]. These taxa were represented by four orders and suborders, Textulariida, Lagenida, Rotaliida and Miliolida, with the latter represented by 40 species (22 in
Figure 1). Modern and relict benthic foraminiferal biofacies along a carbonate ramp transect were studied in the southern part of Kuwait [
58]. In this study, a total of 141 benthic foraminiferal taxa were identified, a figure that is much higher compared to previous studies (23 in
Figure 1). The benthic foraminiferal assemblages were documented around the unique and largest coral island of Kuwait, Umm al Maradim, where overall 101 and 96 species were identified in the total and living assemblages, respectively [
28] (24 in
Figure 1). In terms of abundance, the porcelaneous wall-type test dominated the foraminiferal assemblages, followed by hyaline and agglutinated ones. The present checklist also accounts for a recent study with the sampling of 50 stations around the three northern islands of Auha, Failaka and Miskan [
59], with the recognition of 92 species (25 in
Figure 1). Additionally, an extensive sediment sampling with the collection of 46 samples was performed, to study benthic foraminifera in the Kuwait Bay (26 in
Figure 1).