Parastromateus niger | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes
Taxa
Parastromateus niger | (Bloch, 1795)
Location
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
This species has been previously referred to in the literature as Formio niger.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific (Randall 1995, Bogorodsky et al. 2014). The depth range is 15-40 m.
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This pelagic species forms large schools in continental shelf waters over soft bottom (Smith-Vaniz 1999, Carpenter et al. 1997b). Itgenerally occurs near the bottom during the day and swims to the surface at night to feed on zooplankton (Smith-Vaniz 1984). Its maximum total length is 55 cm, but commonly occurs to 30 cm (Smith-Vaniz 1999). In the Gulf, females spawn about every three days during season (Dadzie and Abou-Seedo 2008).Standard length at first sexual maturity is 15 cm for males and 20 cm for females (Dadzie et al. 2008). Dadzie et al. (2007) estimated natural mortality as 0.68. It has been aged to at least 6 years in Iranian waters of the Sea of Oman (Yadollahvand and Rahnama 2014)
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, inshore species occurs throughout UAE waters. It is naturally more abundant in the northern Arabian Gulf (Kuwait and Iran), and less abundant off Bahrain to the UAE. It is heavily exploited off Kuwait, and taken as bycatch in a variety of commercial fisheries in the Gulf. The population off Kuwait is overexploited and is further impacted by reduced discharge of the Shatt Al-Arab due to damming of the Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun Rivers. There is also data indicating catch declines in fisheries on both coasts of the UAE, but its population status is poorly understood there in general. Based on the uncertainty regarding the population trend of this exploited species, it is listed as Data Deficient in UAE waters until updated data become available. In addition to improvements in fisheries monitoring, research is also needed on its life history.
About the assessment
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
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
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
The population in the Arabian Gulf is impacted by the decreased discharge of the Shatt Al-Arab due to damming of the Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun Rivers as well as overfishing that is occurring off Kuwait (Sheppard et al. 2010, Al-Said et al. 2017). It is not known how this impacts its population in UAE waters.
Conservation Measures
Conservation measures:
Scientific Name
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Parastromateus niger
Animalia
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Perciformes
Carangidae
Parastromateus
