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Aetomylaeus maculatus - UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Publication
UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
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
This species is considered distinct from Aetomylaeus milvus (Last et al. 2016).
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
In UAE waters, the Mottled Eagle Ray is only confirmed from a single record taken at Ras Al Khaimah (R.W. Jabado pers. comm. 12/04/2017). Elsewhere, it has been confirmed from the east and west coast of India and is thought to be present in Sri Lanka (Last et al. 2016). It is suspected to occur in Pakistan and eastern Iran based on anecdotal reports and one museum specimen from Karachi University (F. Owfi pers. comm. 07/02/2017). Further research is needed to confirm the distribution of this species.
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Mottled Eagle Ray is a poorly known species. It occurs on the inner continental shelf to depths of about 60 m over soft sandy substrate (Compagno and Last 1999). The maximum known size of this species is 100 cm disc width (DW) with males maturing by 71 cm DW and a 55 cm DW female not yet mature (Last et al. 2016). Litter size is unknown, but it is born at around 29 cm DW. As there is no information on this species' maximum age and age at maturity, generation length was inferred as ~15 years based on data for the Bat Ray (Myliobatis californicus), which are reported to have a maximum age of 24 years and an age at maturity of five years (Martin and Cailliet 1988). However, it is noted that the Longhead Eagle Ray reaches a smaller maximum size than this species.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Data Deficient
Assessment status abreviation
DD
Assessment rationale/justification
The Mottled Eagle Ray presumably occurs throughout UAE inshore waters, but has only been recorded there once (in Ras al Khaimah). The extent of its interactions with fisheries is unknown at present, but like other species of eagle rays, it is highly susceptible to a variety of fishing methods. It is mainly caught as bycatch in inshore and shelf trawl and gill net fisheries, and demersal fishing pressure is intense and increasing through much of the Arabian Sea region. The loss and degradation of coastal habitats in the Gulf is a significant concern for inshore species such as this. Little is known on its population, distribution, ecology and potential threats from habitat degradation and fishing; therefore, it is listed as Data Deficient in the UAE.
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
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
Information pertaining to threats specific to the UAE are unavailable. This species is impacted by target (for fins and their valuable meat) and bycatch fisheries that are active elsewhere in its range. Marine habitats in the Gulf are experiencing high levels of disturbance and quickly deteriorating due to major impacts from development activities (including dredging and reclamation), desalination plants, industrial activities, habitat destruction through the removal of shallow productive areas and major shipping lanes (Sheppard et al. 2010).
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures: