Taxon name
Parastromateus niger
(Bloch, 1795)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Parastromateus niger
(Bloch, 1795)
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Species authority
(Bloch, 1795)
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
This species has been previously referred to in the literature as Formio niger.
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 pelagic, inshore species occurs throughout UAE waters. It is naturally more abundant in the northern Arabian Gulf (Kuwait and Iran), and less abundant off Bahrain to the UAE. It is heavily exploited off Kuwait, and taken as bycatch in a variety of commercial fisheries in the Gulf. The population off Kuwait is overexploited and is further impacted by reduced discharge of the Shatt Al-Arab due to damming of the Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun Rivers. There is also data indicating catch declines in fisheries on both coasts of the UAE, but its population status is poorly understood there in general. Based on the uncertainty regarding the population trend of this exploited species, it is listed as Data Deficient in UAE waters until updated data become available. In addition to improvements in fisheries monitoring, research is also needed on its life history.
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. Globally, it is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific (Randall 1995, Bogorodsky et al. 2014). The depth range is 15-40 m.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This pelagic species forms large schools in continental shelf waters over soft bottom (Smith-Vaniz 1999, Carpenter et al. 1997b). Itgenerally occurs near the bottom during the day and swims to the surface at night to feed on zooplankton (Smith-Vaniz 1984). Its maximum total length is 55 cm, but commonly occurs to 30 cm (Smith-Vaniz 1999). In the Gulf, females spawn about every three days during season (Dadzie and Abou-Seedo 2008).Standard length at first sexual maturity is 15 cm for males and 20 cm for females (Dadzie et al. 2008). Dadzie et al. (2007) estimated natural mortality as 0.68. It has been aged to at least 6 years in Iranian waters of the Sea of Oman (Yadollahvand and Rahnama 2014)
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
The population in the Arabian Gulf is impacted by the decreased discharge of the Shatt Al-Arab due to damming of the Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun Rivers as well as overfishing that is occurring off Kuwait (Sheppard et al. 2010, Al-Said et al. 2017). It is not known how this impacts its population in UAE waters.
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.
