Taxon name
Moolgarda cunnesius
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Moolgarda cunnesius
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Species authority
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
The taxonomy of species in the Mugilidae family is complex and under revision (Durand and Borsa 2015). According to Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes, this species is now considered valid as Moolgarda cunnesius.
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
This inshore species occurs throughout UAE waters. It is exploited throughout the UAE, but species-specific catch data are not collected. It comprises a smaller proportion of the mullet catch than Crenimugil seheli, but catch in that fishery declined by about 80% over the past 11 years. Fishing effort trends are not well-understood. It is also exploited in areas neighbouring the UAE. In addition, the difficulty in distinguishing the mullet species taxonomically and easy confusion with other mullet species in the catch prevents an understanding of their status. Based on the uncertainty in the status of its population in the UAE, and concerns for possible over-exploitation, it is listed as Data Deficient. Improvements in fisheries monitoring are needed.
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
This species occurs throughout UAE waters (Carpenter et al. 1997b, Jawad et al. 2018). Elsewhere, it is widespread in the Indo-Pacific. Its depth range is 0-3 metres, but has been recorded to 42 m (Jawad et al. 2018).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species inhabits inshore marine, brackish and freshwater areas, including coral reefs, mangroves and estuaries (Khatoon et al. 2014, Kamrani et al. 2016, Jawad et al. 2018). Its maximum length is 14 cm (Carpenter et al. 1997b).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Overfishing is a potential major threat to this species in the UAE and surrounding areas. In addition, estuaries and nearshore habitats have been seriously degraded in the Arabian Gulf region. Corals in the UAE and Arabian Gulf have severely declined due to the increasing frequency of mass bleaching events caused by rising water temperatures, which is a consequence of climate change, as well as pervasive coastal development (Riegl et al. 2018, Burt et al. 2019).
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.
