Taxon name
Mustelus mosis
Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1899
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Mustelus mosis
Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1899
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Species authority
Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1899
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
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
The Arabian Smoothhound occurs throughout UAE inshore and offshore waters, and may be relatively common there. It is taken as bycatch in some parts of its range, but remains common in landings. This species is not targeted in the UAE, trawling has been banned there since 1980 and it apparently remains common. Based on the lack of evidence for declines, continued importance in fisheries landings and relatively high biological productivity, this species is listed as Least Concern.
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
The Arabian Smoothhound occurs throughout UAE waters (Randall 1995, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi unpublished data). Globally, it is moderately widespread in the Northern Indian Ocean from the Red Sea to India and Sri Lanka. Taxonomic issues have confused the distribution of this species in eastern India and Sri Lanka, and the full distribution of the species remains to be resolved.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This is a bottom dwelling shark found inshore and offshore at depths of 0-250 m, sometimes in association with coral reefs (Compagno 1984). The species is reported to reach a maximum size of 150 cm total length (TL) but is rarely seen above 100 cm TL (Jabado et al. 2016, Moore et al. 2016). Males mature at 65-78 cm TL and females mature from about 73 cm TL. Reproduction is viviparous, and the species gives birth to 2-16 pups per litter (Moore et al. 2016). Size at birth is reported as 26-28 cm TL (Bass 1986). No ageing data is available. Generation length is estimated as 10 years based on the Narrownose Smoothhound (Mustelus schmitti) from Brazil which has a similar distribution and maximum size.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
In the UAE, sharks have been impacted by targeted commercial fisheries until 2014 when a ban on export of sharks was imposed (Ministry of Climate Change and Environment). Sharks continue to be impacted by artisanal and bycatch fisheries (Annual Fisheries Statistical Report for Abu Dhabi Emirate 2001-2018), though catch data are not species-specific. Marine habitats in the region have experienced high levels of disturbance and are quickly deteriorating due to major impacts from development activities (Sheppard <em style=""font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2; text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px"">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.
