Taxon name
Aetomylaeus maculatus
(Gray, 1834)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Aetomylaeus maculatus
(Gray, 1834)
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Species authority
(Gray, 1834)
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
This species is considered distinct from Aetomylaeus milvus (Last et al. 2016).
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Data Deficient
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
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.
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
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.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
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.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
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.
Threats and conservation measures listed
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).
Publication
Ralph, G.M., Stump, E., Linardich, C., Bullock, R.W., Carpenter, K.E., Allen D.J., Hilton-Taylor, C., Al Mheiri, R., and Alshamsi, O. 2021. UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes. 2021. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
