Auxis rochei | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Taxa
Auxis rochei | (Risso, 1810)
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Scope (Assessment)
National
Taxon
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
Before 1960, many researchers thought that there was only one world-wide species in the genus Auxis, which was recorded as Auxis thazard (Collette and Aaland, 1996).The species contains two subspecies; A. rochei rochei (Risso, 1810) worldwide except for the eastern tropical Pacific where it is replaced by A. r. eudorax Collette and Aadland, 1996.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
In UAE waters, this species does not occur in the Arabian Gulf (B. Collette pers. comm. 2013), but may occur on the Sea of Oman coast, though records are not yet confirmed. Elsewhere, it is cosmopolitan in warm waters (Collette and Aadland 1996).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This is a pelagic, oceanodromous species that forms schools. It is an offshore predator feeding on whatever abundant resource is available with a preference for planktonic crustaceans, small cephalopods, and fish larvae (Mostarda et al. 2007). Its maximum fork length is 50 cm. Longevity is 5 years and maturity occurs around 2 years of age or about 35 cm fork length for both males and females, but this can vary by region (Muthiah 1985, Yesaki and Arce 1994, Niiya 2001a, b, Collette 2010). When applying an age at first reproduction of 5 years and longevity of 2 years, its estimated generation length is 3.5 years based on the following equation recommended by the IUCN Red List methods: Age at first reproduction + (Age at last reproduction -“ age at first reproduction)/2.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Data deficient
Assessment status abreviation
DD
Assessment rationale/justification
This pelagic, open ocean species is not yet confirmed to occur in the UAE, but may occur on the Sea of Oman coast. If it does range into UAE waters (Sea of Oman only), its presence there is apparently marginal. There has been some confusion with Auxis thazard in some nearby areas where exploitation occurs (e.g., Iran), and this confusion may contribute to the lack of confirmed records in the UAE. It is listed as Data Deficient.
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Threats to this species in the UAE and neighboring area are poorly understood.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Auxis rochei Animalia Chordata Actinopterygii Perciformes Scombridae Auxis