The surface-dwelling arthropod fauna of Gobabeb with a description of the long-term pitfall trapping project. A pitfall trapping project has been conducted at Gobabeb since 1962. The habitats that have been sampled are the gravel plains, hummock dunes, dune slope, dune slip face and the riparian environment of the ephemeral Kuiseb River, although not all these habitats have been equally sampled since 1962. The trapping programme is described, and checklists of the surface dwelling arthropods recorded in the area are provided. These are presented as tables of tenebrionid beetles: beetles other than tenebrionids; insects other than beetles; spiders; ticks; mites; isopods; and solifuges and scorpions. Keywords: Namib desert, pitfall trapping, tenebrionidae, insects, arachnids.