Assessment ID
329919
Taxon name
Epinephelus areolatus
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
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.
Assessment ID
329918
Taxon name
Cephalopholis hemistiktos
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Cephalopholis hemistiktos
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
actinopterygii
Order
perciformes
Family
epinephelidae
Genus
Cephalopholis
Species
hemistiktos
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Recent genetic and demographic evidence suggests that the population of Cephalopholis hemistiktos in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden may be a distinct species from the population in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman (Priest et al. 2016).
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
Assessed as
Critically Endangered
Abbreviated status
CR
Qualifying criteria (if given)
A2bcd+4bcd
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This reef-associated species occurs throughout UAE waters. It is a long-lived species (26 years) that reaches sexual maturity late in life (13 years), and the generation length is estimated at about 17 years. A stock assessment conducted in 2013 in the Gulf considered this species overexploited. It was common in UAE fish markets from 1980s until about 1995, but declined thereafter. Despite fishing effort remaining at a stable level, catch of this species has remained very low to the present day. Effort is likely to increase for this species, especially as larger grouper species, such as Epinephelus coioides, continue to be depleted in this region. In addition, due to severe declines in Gulf coral reefs, this species may also be impacted by habitat degradation. Based on fish market observations, scientific survey data and catch data, it is inferred that this species has declined by at least 50% and likely more than 80% in the UAE since about 1995, or over the past one and a half generation lengths (29 years). Fishing effort is expected to remain the same or increase in the future time period over the next one and a half generations. The status of population(s) outside the UAE is not well-understood, though it is also heavily exploited elsewhere, especially off Oman and Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it is listed as Critically Endangered A2bcd+4bcd. Improvements in fisheries management are needed.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it has a disjunct distribution in the northwestern Indian Ocean, with one subpopulation in the Red Sea to Socotra Island (Yemen) and northern Somalia, and the second subpopulation in northern Oman (Sea of Oman), the Arabian Gulf and Pakistan. Recent research suggests these may represent two distinct species (Priest et al. 2016); however, until a formal description is published, both subpopulations are treated as one species. Its depth range is 2 to 55 metres.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species inhabits coral reefs and adjacent areas (Carpenter et al. 1997a). In the Red Sea, it is more often found on patchy open reef areas rather than on well-developed coral reefs. In Oman, it is abundant, but patchily distributed on shallow coastal reefs and rocky reef substrata (J. McIlwain pers. comm. 2015). Its maximum total length is 35 cm. It is a diurnal, ambush predator that feeds throughout the day on fishes and crustaceans (Craig et al. 2011). This is a monogamous species and pairs jointly defend a territory of up to 62 m'² (Shpigel and Fishelson 1991). Spawning occurs off Abu Dhabi from July to November and the mean age and total length at first sexual maturity for femalesis 13 years and 25.3 cm (Grandcourt et al. 2013). These data are not available for the Red Sea population. Longevity is at least 28 years in Oman, 24 years in the Red Sea (Priest et al. 2016) and 20 years in the Arabian Gulf (Grandcourt et al. 2013). We utilized the following data to estimate the generation length: natural mortality of 0.21 year<sup>-1</sup> and age at first maturity of 13 years (Grandcourt et al. 2013). The generation length equation (1/natural mortality) + age at first reproduction), estimates the generation length as 17.8 years, with three generation lengths being 53.4 years. However, this may be modified if the age at first maturity is found to be an overestimate.
Threats listed in assessment
Overexploitation is a major threat. In addition, 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.
Assessment ID
329917
Taxon name
Epinephelus polylepis
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Epinephelus polylepis
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
actinopterygii
Order
perciformes
Family
epinephelidae
Genus
Epinephelus
Species
polylepis
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Prior to this species' formal description in 1991, it was identified as Epinephelus chlorostigma, particularly in India.
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
Assessed as
Data deficient
Abbreviated status
DD
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This reef-associated species occurs throughout UAE waters. In the UAE, it is infrequently observed in markets, and is not recorded in fisheries statistics. It is heavily exploited in much of its range, and fishing pressure has been increasing and is expected to continue increasing. The relatively poor understanding of its' population status is in part due to it being historically misidentified as Epinephelus chlorostigma until its formal description in 1991 (only about 25 years ago). There are anecdotal reports of declining catch per unit effort in Oman, but landings quantified in the Arabian Gulf over the past 15 years have not declined, possibly due to increases in effort. The status of population(s) outside the UAE are not well-understood, though it is also taken by fisheries elsewhere. Based on the uncertainty regarding the population trend of this exploited species, it is listed as Data Deficient in UAE waters. Improvements in fisheries monitoring are needed.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is restricted to the northwest Indian Ocean where it occurs from the northern Gulf of Aden (Yemen and Djibouti) to the Arabian Gulf to southwestern India (Randall and Heemstra 1991, M. Samoilys pers. comm. 2016). It is not known to occur in the Maldives (Anderson pers. comm. 2007). Its depth range is 10-155 metres.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species occurs on rock and boulder slopes and also in areas with high coral cover (M. Samoilys pers. comm. 2016). Off southern Oman and eastern Yemen, it is frequently observed on coral reefs between 10 to 15 m depth (J. Kemp pers. comm. 2007). Off Muscat, Oman its preferred habitat is small rocky outcrops at 70-155 m depth. It has also been collected from trawls operating between 33-100 m depth on sandy bottoms (Randall and Heemstra 1991). This species may be a diandric protogynous hermaphrodite (J. McIlwain pers. comm. 2007), but this is not yet confirmed. Peak spawning in Oman occurs from August to October and may also extend into June-July (J. McIlwain pers. comm. 2007). Maximum total length is 120 cm (Bagley et al. 2009). In Oman, it has been aged to 40 years (J. McIlwain unpublished data). Age at first maturity is likely about 3-4 years (H. Choat pers. comm. 2007). When applying an age at first reproduction of 3-4 years and longevity of 40 years, its estimated generation length is 21-22 years based on the following equation recommended by the IUCN Red List methods: Age at first reproduction + (Age at last reproduction -“ age at first reproduction)/2.
Threats listed in assessment
Overfishing is a potential major threat to this species, although declines have not yet been quantified and only anecdotal reports of declining catch per unit effort are known. Given that fishing effort has been increasing in the fisheries that take this species throughout its range, there is concern that declines are either occurring or will occur. 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.
Assessment ID
329916
Taxon name
Epinephelus multinotatus
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Epinephelus multinotatus
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
actinopterygii
Order
perciformes
Family
epinephelidae
Genus
Epinephelus
Species
multinotatus
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
Assessed as
Data deficient
Abbreviated status
DD
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This reef-associated species occurs throughout UAE waters. It is harvested in the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman, and landings, while fluctuating, show a modest downward trend off Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and possibly Oman. In the UAE, it is infrequently observed in markets, and is not recorded in fisheries statistics. The status of population(s) outside the UAE are not well-understood, though it is also taken by fisheries elsewhere, and some level of localised declines have been noted. Based on the uncertainty regarding the population trend of this exploited species, it is listed as Data Deficient in UAE waters. Improvements in fisheries monitoring are needed.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it has a disjunct distribution in the Indian Ocean with one subpopulation occurring in the western part from Mozambique and Madagascar to the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Gulf, Sea of Oman and the Maldives and Chagos Archipelago, and the second subpopulation occurring in the east from northwestern Australia to Indonesia (Aru, Kei, and Tanimbar Islands). Its depth range is 10-110 metres (Allen and Erdmann 2012).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species inhabits coral and rocky reef, including drop-offs and banks (Randall 1995, Stephenson et al. 2001, J. Robinson pers. comm. 2007). Juveniles can be more common on coral reefs at least in the Gulf, while adults are often found in deeper waters around sandy or rocky substrates (Carpenter et al. 1997a). In general, younger individuals are found in the shallower portion of its range while adults occur deeper (Allen and Erdmann 2012). Spawning aggregations have been reported during peak reproductive months (Wheeler and Ommanney 1953, Robinson et al. 2004), and non-aggregating spawning likely occurs at other times during the year (J. Robinson pers. comm. 2007). Its maximum total length is 90 cm (Allen and Erdmann 2012) and its maximum age is 30 years (Grandcourt 2005). In Australia, females mature at about 41 cm and the species has been aged to at least 22 years (Bray 2016).
Threats listed in assessment
Overfishing is a threat to this species in parts of its range(Craig et al. 2011, Chabanet et al. 2016). Reef degradation may also negatively impact this species (Pistorius and Taylor 2009). 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.
Assessment ID
329915
Taxon name
Epinephelus latifasciatus
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Epinephelus latifasciatus
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
actinopterygii
Order
perciformes
Family
epinephelidae
Genus
Epinephelus
Species
latifasciatus
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
Assessed as
Least Concern
Abbreviated status
LC
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This demersal species inhabits soft and hard bottoms throughout UAE waters. Fishing activity is not known to be causing population declines at this time. There are no known major threats; therefore, it is listed as Least Concern in the UAE.
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.
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 (Heemstra and Randall 1993). Its depth range is 20-230 metres.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Adults of this species inhabit coarse sand or rocky bottoms, while juveniles inhabit silty-sand and mud bottoms (Carpenter et al. 1997). It seems to prefer continental localities and low-relief bottoms. Its maximum standard length is 137 cm (Randall and Heemstra 1991). In India, the spawning season for this species occurs from November to March and lengths of males and females at 50% maturity are 66 and 61 cm total length, respectively (Sujatha Shrikanya 2013).
Threats listed in assessment
Fishing activity is not known to be causing population declines in the UAE at this time.
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.
Assessment ID
329912
Taxon name
Lutjanus argentimaculatus
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Lutjanus argentimaculatus
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
actinopterygii
Order
perciformes
Family
lutjanidae
Genus
Lutjanus
Species
argentimaculatus
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
Assessed as
Endangered
Abbreviated status
EN
Qualifying criteria (if given)
A2bcd
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This reef and estuarine-associated species occurs throughout UAE waters. It is heavily exploited and very highly-valued in the Arabian Gulf, including the UAE. A 2013 Abu Dhabi stock assessment concluded it is overexploited, especially due to the high rate of juvenile retention, which has led to growth overfishing. Though catch quantity has been relatively low over the time period from 2009-2018, it has virtually disappeared from fisheries catch on both coasts of the UAE. In addition, mangrove and estuarine degradation in the Arabian Gulf region is serious, and a likely additional threat to nursery habitat for this species. The status of population(s) outside the UAE is not well-understood, but it is exploited elsewhere as well. Based on stock assessment, catch data and fish market observations, this species is inferred to have declined by at least 50% or possibly more than 80% over at least half of a generation length, or the past decade. Three generation lengths is about 75 years, but data are not available to calculate a decline over this period. Considering this species is particularly long-lived and late to maturity, it is intrinsically susceptible to declines from overexploitation. Assuming that the population was stable previous to 2009, we suspect a decline of at least 50% with an expected continuing decline due to fishing effort trends. It is listed as Endangered A2bcd.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific (Anderson and Allen 2001). Its depth range is 1 to 120 m (Lieske and Myers 1994).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This reef-associated species often occur in groups around coral reefs and sometimes extends to depths in excess of 100 m. Juveniles and young adults occur in mangrove estuaries, as well as the lower reaches of freshwater streams and tidal creeks (Lieske and Myers 1994, Sommer et al. 1996, Russell et al. 2003). This nocturnal species consumes fishes and crustaceans (Anderson and Allen 2001). The maximum total length is 150 cm (Torres 1991). The natural mortality for this species is measured at 0.158 (Russell et al. 2003). In a cooler part of its range, off eastern Australia, it has been aged at up to 57 years old (Piddocke et al. 2015). Spawning occurs off Abu Dhabi from September to October, longevity is estimated to be 37 years and the mean age and size at first sexual maturity is 14 years and 56.4 cm fork length for females and 13 years and 55.8 cm for males (Grandcourt et al. 2013). When applying an age at first reproduction of 14 years and longevity of 37 years, its estimated generation length is 25.5 years based on the following equation recommended by the IUCN Red List methods: Age at first reproduction + (Age at last reproduction -“ age at first reproduction)/2.
Threats listed in assessment
Overfishing is a major threat to this species in the UAE (Grandcourt et al. 2013). In addition, juveniles are dependent on mangroves and associated freshwater-influenced areas, which is a habitat that has been destroyed or severely degraded in the Arabian Gulf region as a result of coastal development (A. Al-Kuwari, E. Abdulqader, F. Kaymaram, K. Al-Khalaf, J. Bishop, Q. Alghawzi, S. Alam, S. Hartmann pers. comm. 2013). Historically, mangrove area declined on the Arabian Gulf coast of the UAE, but since the 1990s, mangrove area has increased somewhat in part due to restoration efforts. The percent decline over the entire time period of three generation lengths is poorly understood. 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.
Assessment ID
329911
Taxon name
Isurus paucus
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Isurus paucus
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
chondrichthyes
Order
lamniformes
Family
lamnidae
Genus
Isurus
Species
paucus
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
Assessed as
Near Threatened
Abbreviated status
NT
Qualifying criteria (if given)
A2d
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
In UAE waters, the Longfin Mako occurs only in offshore waters of the Sea of Oman. Little is known on the population of this species in UAE waters. It is caught incidentally in pelagic longline fisheries, but comprises much lower proportions of the catch than the Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus). Most catches of this species are inadequately recorded and likely underestimated. Its apparent rarity, large size, low fecundity and continued occurrence as bycatch in fisheries is concerning. It is apparently highly migratory, and has 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, longline 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 20-30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 75 years. It is listed as Near Threatened, nearly meeting the thresholds for Vulnerable A2d.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Longfin Mako occurs in UAE waters on the Sea of Oman coast. It is excluded from the Arabian Gulf (Golani and Bogorodsky 2010). Globally, it is likely circumglobal in tropical and warm temperate waters. However, records are sporadic and the complete distribution remains unclear in part due to confusion with the more common Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) (Compagno 2001).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Longfin Mako is a poorly-known epipelagic, tropical and warm-temperate shark, and its full depth range is unknown (Compagno 2001). It attains a maximum size of at least 427 cm total length (TL). Both males and females have been reported to mature at >245 cm TL with the smallest mature male observed at 225 cm TL (Varghese et al. 2017). It is aplacental viviparous with oophagy and uterine cannibalism, and a pregnant female may have 2 to 8 embryos per litter. Size at birth is recorded at 97 to 120 cm TL (Compagno 2001). It has been suggested that females may approach land to pup (Compagno 2001). The generation length is suspected to be around 25 years, based on that of the Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) (Natanson et al. 2006).
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. This species is impacted by bycatch fisheries that are active elsewhere in its range.
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.
Assessment ID
329910
Taxon name
Mobula thurstoni
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Mobula thurstoni
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
chondrichthyes
Order
myliobatiformes
Family
mobulidae
Genus
Mobula
Species
thurstoni
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
Assessed as
Vulnerable
Abbreviated status
VU
Qualifying criteria (if given)
A2d
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
In UAE waters, the Bentfin Devil Ray occurs only in the Sea of Oman in inshore and offshore waters. This species is not targeted or valued in markets of the UAE and capture of this species is totally banned in the UAE. When captured in the Sea of Oman, it is typically discarded alive, and significant declines are not suspected there at this time. It is a component of the bycatch in several fisheries (e.g., Pakistan), and is directly targeted in Sri Lanka and India. Its low productivity causes it to be susceptible to rapid population declines, and declines have recently been confirmed from Pakistan (over the past three years). It is especially susceptible to exploitation (target and bycatch) in many largely unregulated gill net, longline 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. 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. Based on recorded levels of exploitation, it is suspected to have declined by 30-50% over the past three generation lengths, or about 23 years. It is listed as Vulnerable A2d.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Bentfin Devil Ray occurs in UAE waters on the Sea of Oman coast. It is excluded from the Arabian Gulf. Elsewhere, it is distributed in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters of the Indian Ocean from the Red Sea to India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives (Couturier et al. 2012, Notarbartolo di Sciara et al. 2017).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Bentfin Devil Ray is usually pelagic or epipelagic in shallow, productive, neritic waters of <100 m depth (Notarbartolo di Sciara 1988, Croll et al. 2016), although it is also caught in offshore pelagic waters (Mas et al. 2015), and around seamounts in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Mendonça et al. 2012). Segregation by size and sex is seasonal, with all size classes and sexes appearing together during the summer months (Notarbartolo di Sciara 1988). The species is observed either solitarily or in small groups (2-“6 individuals); it is not a schooling species (Notarbartolo di Sciara 1988). Maximum size is reported to at least 189 cm disc width (DW) and both females and males are estimated to mature at around 154 cm disc width (DW), while size at birth is estimated at 65-“85 cm DW (Notarbartolo di Sciara 1988, Last et al. 2016). Size at 50% maturity was estimated at 153.8 cm DW for males (White et al. 2006b). The mode of reproduction is matrotrophic viviparity. Embryos obtain nutrients initially via yolk, then through absorption of enriched uterine fluid from the mother (Wourms 1977). Only the left ovary is functional and litter size is one pup after a 12-month gestation period (Wourms 1977, Notarbartolo di Sciara 1988). It is estimated that the maximum intrinsic population growth rate (r<sub>max</sub>) of devil rays is similar to manta rays, and these productivity rates are among the lowest of all chondrichthyans (Dulvy et al. 2014, Pardo et al. 2016). Mating, parturition, and early life history are reported to take place in the shallow water during summer and perhaps early autumn (Notarbartolo di Sciara 1988).For the Spinetail Devil Ray (up to 310 cm DW), Cuevas-Zimbrón (2012) estimated age at maturity to be 5-“6 years and a minimum lifespan of 14 years, giving a generation length of 10 years. While accurate age at maturity and longevity information is unavailable for the Bentfin Devil Ray, it can be inferred according to the smaller maximum size that it would be close to but slightly shorter than that of its congener. As there are not enough data to estimate an exact generation length for this species, an approximate, suspected generation length is used. A midway point of 7.5 years between a very conservative low of five years, and the larger Spinetail Devil Ray's 10-year generation length is suspected to be the approximate generation length for the Bentfin Devil Ray until more accurate information becomes available.
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. Manta rays are easy to target because of their large size, slow swimming speed, aggregation behaviour and predictable habitat use.
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.
Assessment ID
329909
Taxon name
Glaucostegus granulatus
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Glaucostegus granulatus
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
chondrichthyes
Order
rhinopristiformes
Family
glaucostegidae
Genus
Glaucostegus
Species
granulatus
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Changes to the systematics of Rhinobatos elevated the subgenus Glaucostegus to full generic status and placed this genus into a family of its own: Glaucostegidae (Compagno 2005, Last et al. 2016a). This species is often confused with Glaucostegus typus and Pacific Ocean records of G. granulatus are probably G. typus.
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
Assessed as
Endangered
Abbreviated status
EN
Qualifying criteria (if given)
A2cd
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
The Sharpnose Guitarfish occurs throughout UAE coastal waters, and may be naturally uncommon there. It likely grows slowly and matures late, which causes it to have a low productivity and be particularly susceptible to declines when experiencing exploitation. It is commonly taken in gill net and trawl fisheries, and coastal development is a significant threat. Significant declines of wedgefishes and guitarfishes have been documented in India, Pakistan and Iran. There has been a total ban on fishing for this species in UAE waters in place since 2019. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, and it is not known how individuals occupying the UAE are connected with the broader population of the Arabian Seas region, there is no information available to suggest that its population status differs in the UAE as compared to other parts of its range in the region. Given the threats faced by this species in other parts of the Arabian Seas region, and ongoing threats from discarding and habitat loss in the UAE, it is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Seas are representative of the status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation and decline in habitat quality, it is suspected to have declined by 50-80% over the past three generation lengths, or about 39 years. It is listed as Endangered A2cd.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Sharpnose Guitarfish occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is moderately widespread in the northern Indian Ocean from the Arabian Gulf to Sri Lanka.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Sharpnose Guitarfish commonly occurs in intertidal areas, but has been recorded to depths of 119 m (Compagno and Last 1999). It attains a maximum size of at least 229 cm total length (TL) (Last et al. 2016). Size at birth is believed to be around 39 cm TL (Moore et al. 2012), but little else is known of its biology. The estimation of generation length is from the maximum age (19 years) and age at maturity (7 years) taken from the growth curve provided by White et al. (2014) for the Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus), which gives an estimated generation length of 13 years.
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. This species is impacted by bycatch fisheries that are active elsewhere in its range. This species may also be impacted by coastal development and habitat degradation (Moore et al. 2012), especially since juveniles utilize inshore areas as nursery grounds. Marine habitats in the Gulf are experiencing high levels of disturbance and quickly deteriorating due to major impacts from development activities (including dredging and sea-filling), 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.
Assessment ID
329908
Taxon name
Taeniurops meyeni
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Scientific name
Taeniurops meyeni
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
chondrichthyes
Order
myliobatiformes
Family
dasyatidae
Genus
Taeniurops
Species
meyeni
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
Assessed as
Near Threatened
Abbreviated status
NT
Qualifying criteria (if given)
A2cd
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
The Blotched Fantail Ray occurs throughout UAE inshore waters. This species is incidentally captured in inshore fisheries, and mostly discarded in UAE waters. In India and Pakistan, it is under intense and increasing demersal fishing pressure. This species is not targeted or valued in markets of the UAE, trawling has been banned there since 1980 and recently conducted surveys have detected it in the area. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, and it is not known how individuals occupying the UAE are connected with the broader population of the Arabian Seas region, there is no information available to suggest that its population status differs in the UAE as compared to other parts of its range in the region. Given the threats faced by this species in other parts of the Arabian Seas region, and ongoing threats from discarding and habitat loss in the UAE, it is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Seas are representative of the status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation and decline in habitat quality, it is suspected to have declined by 20-30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 64 years. It is listed as Near Threatened, nearly meeting the thresholds for Vulnerable A2cd.
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.
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Blotched Fantail Ray occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific (Last et al. 2016).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Yes
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Blotched Fantail Ray is benthic around coral reef habitats, seamounts and on sand substrates mostly at depths of 20-60 m (although records from depths to 400 m in pelagic longlines near seamounts exist) (Compagno et al. 1989, Last and Compagno 1999, Last et al. 2016). It reaches a maximum size of 180 cm disc width (DW) (Last and Stevens 2009). Males mature at 100-110 cm DW and size at birth is 30-35 cm DW (Last et al. 2016). It is a viviparous species, with reported litter size of up to seven young (Compagno et al. 1989). Age data are not available, but generation length can be estimated using data from another large dasyatid, the Brown Stingray (Dasyatis lata), females of which mature at 15 years and reach 28 years (Dale and Holland 2012), giving an estimated generation length of 21.5 years.
Threats listed in assessment
Information pertaining to threats specific to the UAE are unavailable. This species is impacted by 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). 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.