Sardinella longiceps | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Taxa
Sardinella longiceps | Valenciennes, 1847
Publication
UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Scope (Assessment)
National
Taxon
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
Specimens nominally identified as this species from the Philippines and Indonesia are likely to be incorrect identifications of the similar species Sardinella lemuru (Willette and Santos 2013). Recent analysis of micro-satellite markers suggests genetic differentiation of this species between the Gulf of Oman and the coast of India (Sebastian et al. 2017). Subsequent sub-structuring of this species within India revealed genetic differentiation between samples obtained from Mumbai and Mangalore on the western coast of India and the samples obtained from the southwest and eastern coast of India (Calicut, Kollam, Trivandrum, Chennai and Vizag: Sebastian et al. 2017).
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is distributed in the northern Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Gulf to southeast India, and possibly the Andaman Islands. Specimens from the Philippines and Indonesia are probably misidentifications of Sardinella lemuru (Froese and Pauly 2007).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This pelagic-neritic, oceanodromous species schools in tropical waters between depths of 20-200 m (al Sakaff and Esseen 1999, Riede 2004, FAO-FIGIS 2005). It feeds mainly on phytoplankton (especially diatoms), small crustaceans, plants, and benthic invertebrates (Whitehead 1985, Sommer et al. 1996). It is found at temperatures of ~22.0-28.0 '°C. Its maximum standard length is 23 cm, maturity is reached at about one year of age and the maximum reported age is 3 years (Rosa and Laevastu 1960, Bykov 1983, Whitehead 1985).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Data deficient
Assessment status abreviation
DD
Assessment rationale/justification
This pelagic speciesoccurs throughout UAE waters, and is globally restricted to the northern Indian Ocean region. It is heavily exploited in Iran, Oman, Pakistan and India, and severe declines have occurred over recent decades in western India, Pakistan and possibly Oman due to a combination of overexploitation and unfavorable environmental conditions. It is retained as bycatch in fisheries off the UAE and sold in markets, but is not particularly highly-valued. Its occurrence in markets has been stable over time with some suspected recent declines on the eastern coast. In general, it remains common in the UAE, but connectivity with populations outside that are apparently in decline, is poorly understood. 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. It is recommended to improve fisheries monitoring as well as the understanding of population connectivity within its range.
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
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.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Population declines may have occurred off Oman due to exploitation and an increase in fish kill events predicated by low oxygen levels (Piontkovski and Queste 2016). Severe declines have also been reported from western India and Pakistan.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Sardinella longiceps Animalia Chordata Actinopterygii Clupeiformes Clupeidae Sardinella