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NRLD - 329906 | Rhinoptera javanica

Assessment ID
329906
Taxon name
Rhinoptera javanica
Müller & Henle, 1841
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Rhinoptera javanica
Müller & Henle, 1841
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
chondrichthyes
Order
myliobatiformes
Family
rhinopteridae
Genus
Rhinoptera
Species
javanica
Species authority
Müller & Henle, 1841
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)
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Vulnerable
Abbreviated status
VU
Qualifying criteria (if given)
A2d
Criteria system used
IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification
The Javan Cownose Ray occurs throughout UAE coastal waters. Due to confusion with the Oman Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera jayakari), population data can be uncertain, but it is suspected this species is the rarer of the two that occur in the Arabian Sea region. Serious declines in cownose ray landings have been observed in Pakistan, and of batoids in general in India. It exhibits slow life history characteristics including low fecundity and a low annual rate of population increase. Considering this, the species has a low capacity to recover from even moderate levels of exploitation. It is especially susceptible to exploitation (target and bycatch) in many largely unregulated gill net and trawl fisheries that operate within its range outside and surrounding UAE waters. Some management measures are now in place in the Arabian Sea region, although domestic fisheries are likely to continue. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, individuals in the UAE are a component of a larger, interconnected and migratory population that occurs broadly in the north-western Indian Ocean. It is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Sea region are representative of its status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation, it is suspected to have declined by at least 30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 45 years. There is no information to confirm that this species is breeding in the UAE and no information confirming the likelihood of a cease in immigration from outside the region, despite ongoing threats and recorded declines. It is listed as Vulnerable A2d.
Assessment details
Year assessed
2019
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
The Javanese Cownose Ray occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it has a wide range throughout the Indo-West Pacific (Spaet and Berumen 2015, Last et al. 2016).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species is benthopelagic and occurs over the continental shelf, often close inshore. It is typically solitary or small aggregations (not usually in the very large aggregations like other cownose rays) (Last et al. 2016). Litter size is 1-2 pups per litter (R. W. Jabado unpubl. data), but it is unknown if reproductive periodicity is annual or biennial. It reaches at least 165 cm disc width (DW) (Last et al. 2016). Generation length estimated to be ~15 years based on the smaller (110 cm DW) R. bonasus (Fisher et al. 2014).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
This species is impacted by target and bycatch fisheries in the UAE as well as elsewhere in its range. Marine habitats in the Arabian Gulf are experiencing high levels of disturbance 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.