Pseudorca crassidens | UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Taxa
Pseudorca crassidens | (Owen, 1846)
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
Mammals
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
No subspecies of False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens) are currently recognized. However, there is evidence of geographic variability in skull morphology and life history (Kitchener et al. 1990, Ferreira et al. 2014). Based on genetics there is substantial population structure, both between and within-ocean basins, and even within a single archipelago (Martien et al. 2014). This species has been intensively studied only in Hawaii (Baird 2016) and more recently in New Zealand (Zaeschmar 2014). In Hawaii, three subpopulations have been identified based on a combination of genetic studies (Martien et al. 2014), satellite tagging (Baird et al. 2010, 2012, 2014, Bradford et al. 2014a), and analyses of photo-identification data (Baird et al. 2008, Baird 2016). These include two partially overlapping insular populations, one around the main Hawaiian Islands, and one in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, as well as a partially overlapping pelagic population that ranges throughout and beyond the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Hawaiian Archipelago. In New Zealand, based on high resighting rates of photo-identified individuals and a relatively small number of individuals documented, it is likely that this represents a distinct subpopulation (Zaeschmar 2014). While the number of subpopulations world-wide is unknown, this is due primarily to incomplete sampling in most of the range. Based on the evidence from Hawaii, subpopulation structure likely exists throughout their range.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Skeletal remains of this species have been found in the Gulf on island beaches in western Abu Dhabi (Baldwin 2005). There was a stranding reported from Sir Bani Yas in 2013/2014 and a possible sighting in Dubai in 2015. It is reported off the east coast but was not recorded on surveys in 2017-2018 by the Fujairah Whale and Dolphin Project. There was a sighting of an injured individual in 2012 off Dibba (Musandam). Globally it is found in tropical to warm temperate zones, generally in relatively deep, offshore waters of all three major oceans (Taylor et al. 2008, Baird 2018).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Found in deep water on continental shelves where it feeds on fish species such as tuna. Observed in groups of 1-“300 (Baldwin et al. 1999).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Data deficient
Assessment status abreviation
DD
Assessment rationale/justification
On the Gulf coast, the species is known from a small number of records of skeletal remains and strandings, whilst it has been reported off the east coast but not in recent surveys. There is insufficient information available on population size or trends of this species in UAE waters, hence it is assessed as Data Deficient. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.
About the assessment
Assessment year
2018
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
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
The main threats to cetaceans in UAE waters include: incidental mortality in trawl, drift and anchored gill nets, depletion of prey populations (due in part to commercial overfishing); ship and boat strikes, disturbance due to underwater noise (including that from vessel traffic, drilling, piling, military operations and seismic activity related to offshore oil and gas exploration). Inshore and shallow-water species are further potentially threatened by entanglement in abandoned fishing gear, coastal development including port and harbour construction, dredging, land reclamation, residential and tourist development, and pollution (especially hydrocarbons). A lack of information (e.g. population size and trend, the location of critical habitats, and feeding ecology) hinders the development of appropriate conservation actions, but this should be used as an excuse for inaction.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
Hornby (1966) considered the species to be Near Threatened, however, we consider DD to be the appropriate backcasted assessment for this species in 1996.
Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Pseudorca crassidens Animalia Chordata Mammalia Cetartiodactyla Delphinidae Pseudorca