NRLD - 330117 | Hydrophis schistosus

Assessment ID

330117

Taxon name

Hydrophis schistosus

Daudin, 1803

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Hydrophis schistosus

Daudin, 1803

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Reptiles

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

reptilia

Order

squamata

Family

elapidae

Genus

Hydrophis

Species

schistosus

Species authority

Daudin, 1803

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

This species has been placed in several different genera in the past, however, a recent molecular phylogenetic study of 39 sea snake species in 15 genera recovered Hydrophis as broadly paraphyletic with respect to several other genera (Sanders et al. 2013). Instead of erecting multiple new genera, the authors recommended dismantling the mostly monotypic genera Pelamis, Enhydrina, Astrotia, Thalassophina, Acalyptophis, Kerilia, Lapemis and Disteira, and recognizing a single genus, Hydrophis, for these taxa (Sanders et al. 2013). This classification system avoids confusion and better reflects the history of recent and very rapid diversification of these snakes and are followed by most recent authors.

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

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters, however on the east coast, this was the least common species found in surveys, only known from one specimen out of c.250 individuals collected, and on the Arabian Gulf, it is known from a single known stranding record from the Dubai coast.This species may be vagrant within UAE waters, or occurrence be the result of accidental transport. It is considered Data Deficient.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

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

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Soorae et al. 2006, Castilla et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). On the east coast, this was the least common species found in surveys, only known from one specimen (collected 6.3 km offshore) out of c.250 individuals collected (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). On the Arabian Gulf, it is known from a single available stranding record from the Dubai coast (M.A.R. Khan pers. comm. 2018). Recorded from the Arabian Gulf and from the Gulf of Oman (Gasperetti 1988, Rezaie-Atagholipur et al. 2016) including breeding pair photographed (Rezaie-Atagholipur et al. 2016). It is not known from museum records from the UAE. Museum specimens include those from Muscat, Oman (Boulenger 1887), Arabian Gulf and Iran (Gasperetti 1988).Globally, this species is found from the Arabian Gulf of Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, east to Australia and Papua New Guinea and north to Viet Nam (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Rasmussen et al. 2010).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

In the UAE, the species is known from a very small number of records and nothing is known of its habitat use. It may not be resident in the UAE, and occurrence may be vagrant or the result of transport in fishing gear or ship ballast disposal.This species occurs (Rasmussen et al. 2010) in shallow open seas, river mouths, estuaries, coastal lagoons, and in mangrove forests (Limpus 1975, Lim and Sawai 1975, Murthy 1977, Murthy and Rama Rao 1988, Venkateswarlu et al. 1995). It is found from 3.7-22.2 m (Redfield et al. 1978). It occurs over soft substrates such as mud and sand (Limpus 1975). It is also found in freshwater lakes in Cambodia and India and can travel up rivers. It is common in near-shore shallow waters and estuaries, especially in the soft bottom marine environments where its preferred prey, catfish, occur in high abundances (Rasmussen et al. 2010). Animals are active during the night and day and prefers water depths from less than 5 m to a maximum of 30 m (Leviton et al. 2003).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

Occurrence in the UAE is very low and little is known of potential threats. Impacts from oils spills are likely, but there are no records of bycatch.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles

Els, J., Allen, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles. MOCCAE, UAE