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Muraenesox cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

January 2021

January 2021

DOI:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Authors:

Armi Gentiles Torres

Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology

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The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

ISSN 2307-8235 (online)

IUCN 2021: T199344A2585390

Scope(s): Global

Language: English

Muraenesox cinereus

Assessment by: McCosker, J., Smith, D.G., Tighe, K., Torres, A.G. & Leander,

N.J.S.

View on www.iucnredlist.org

Citation: McCosker, J., Smith, D.G., Tighe, K., Torres, A.G. & Leander, N.J.S. 2021. Muraenesox

cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T199344A2585390.

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™

Taxonomy

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family

Animalia Chordata Actinopterygii Anguilliformes Muraenesocidae

Scientific Name:ÊÊMuraenesox cinereus (Forsskål, 1775)

Synonym(s):

• Conger hamo Temminck & Schlegel, 1846

• Conger singaporensis Bleeker, 1852

• Conger longirostris Bennett, 1830

• Conger oxyrhynchus Eydoux & Souleyet, 1850

• Congrus angustidens Richardson, 1848

• Congrus brevicuspis Richardson, 1848

• Congrus protervus Richardson, 1848

• Muraena arabica Bloch & Schneider, 1801

• Muraena arabicus Bloch & Schneider, 1801

• Muraena cinerea Forsskål, 1775

• Muraenesox bengalensis McClelland, 1844

• Muraenesox tricuspidata McClelland, 1843

• Muraenesox arabicus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

• Muraenesox cinerius (Forsskål, 1775)

• Ophisurus rostratus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824

Regional Assessments:

• Persian Gulf

Common Name(s):

• English: Arabian Pike Eel, Conger Pike, Dagger Tooth Pikeconger, Daggertooth Pike

Conger, Daggertooth Pike-conger, Darkfin Pike Eel, Pike Eel, Purple Pike Conger,

Shape-toothed Eel, Silver Eel, Silver conger eel, Vinasse Pike Eel

• French: Morénésoce Dague, Murène Japonaise, Murénésoce-dague

• Spanish; Castilian: Morenocio Dentón

• Arabic: Asfan, Nachoot, Rabah, Thubah

• Bikol: Obod, Oldok, Panapa, Pindanga

• Cebuano: Ubod

• Chinese: Hǎi mán, Láng yá shàn, 海鰻, 海鰻, 海鳗, 海鳗

• Czech: Pamuréna saudskoarabská

• Fijian: Ikasa

• Iloko: Kurarato, Kuraratu

• Indonesian: Pucuk nipah

• Japanese: Hamo

• Korean: Kaet-chang-ǒ, 갯장어

• Malay: Belut, Indong, Ketingkor, Malong, Malong perak, Muar hu, Nong, Tuna

• Marathi: Wam, वाम

• Pampanga;

Kapampangan:

Pindanga

• Pangasinan: Bayangitan

• Persian: Mar-mahi-e-tiz-dandan

• Philippine (Other): Banusak, Egat, Endong, Indong, Langing, Tawtih, Toga, Ubod, Ugbot

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

• Russian: Schukorylyi ugor', угорь японский щукорылый

• Sinhala; Sinhalese: Mudu luhulla, Mudu teliya, Puliviya, Vel luhulla

• Tagalog: Pindanga, Ubod

• Tamil: Kadal vilangu, Kadal-vilangu, கடல் விலாங்கு, கடல்வீளாங்குÊ

• Tokelau: Yaalgaadyi

• Vietnamese: Cá Dưa bạc, Cá Dưa xám, Cá lae

• Waray: Ubod

Taxonomic Source(s):

Kottelat, M. 2013. The fishes of the inland waters of southeast Asia: a catalogue and core bibiography of

the fishes known to occur in freshwaters, mangroves and estuaries. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology

Supplement No. 27: 1-663.

Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. and Van der Laan, R. (eds). 2020. Eschmeyer's catalog of fishes: Genera,

species, references. Available at:

http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp. (Accessed: 10

August 2020).

Assessment Information

Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published: 2021

Date Assessed: November 13, 2019

Justification:

This species is widespread and relatively common throughout the Indo-West Pacific. It is utilized

commercially and is a common component of demersal fishery by-catch in some parts of its range. It is

also utilized in aquaculture. There are no known major threats. There is a stock recovery plan for this

species initiated by the Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries of Korea, but there are no reports on its

effectiveness. There are several marine protected areas that overlap with its distribution. Therefore,

Muraenesox cinereus is listed as Least Concern.

Geographic Range

Range Description:

This species is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa, Madagascar, and the Red Sea east

to Tuvalu and Fiji north to China, Japan, and Republic of Korea and south to the Arafura Sea and

northern Australia, including the Persian Gulf, India, the Mariana Islands, the Philippines, Malaysia, the

Gulf of Thailand, and throughout the East Indian region (Motomura et al. 2017, Golani and Fricke 2018,

Fricke et al. 2018, Eagderi et al. 2019; Accessed through the Fishnet2 Portal, www.fishnet2.org). It has

invaded the Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal (Golani and Ben-Tuvia 1982, Eagderi et

al. 2019). It occurs at depths of 300-800 metres (Goldshmidt et al. 1996).

Country Occurrence:

Native, Extant (resident): Australia; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China;

Disputed Territory; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Fiji; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of;

Iraq; Japan; Jordan; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Macao; Madagascar; Malaysia; Mauritius; Myanmar;

Oman; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Somalia; Sri Lanka;

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Timor-Leste; United Arab Emirates; Vanuatu; Viet Nam; Yemen

Extant & Introduced (resident): Israel

FAO Marine Fishing Areas:

Native: Pacific - western central

Native: Indian Ocean - eastern

Native: Pacific - northwest

Native: Indian Ocean - western

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Distribution Map

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Population

This species is described as "common" and "moderately abundant" in many parts of its range

(Motomura et al. 2017). Globally, landings of this species have increased substantially. In 1950, 21,000

tonnes were reportedly landed, but by 2017, over 340,000 tonnes were reported landed, over 90% of

which were landed in China (FishStatJ database accessed 10 July 2019). In Republic of Korea, catches

have declined in recent years, from 3,760 metric tonnes in 1993 to 1,650 tonnes in 2009 and 862 tonnes

in 2013; however, Japan has increased its landings of this species to record highs of 812 tonnes (Watari

et al. 2013, Ji et al. 2015). It is unknown how the population of this species is affected by this use, and

the global population status of this species is unknown.

Current Population Trend:ÊÊUnknown

Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)

This demersal, oceanodromous species occurs in brackish waters and marine waters in tropical to

subtropical shallow-water, benthic habitats over soft bottoms in estuaries, lagoons and shallow, coastal

inlets (Fricke et al. 2018, Psomadakis et al. 2020). It also inhabits coral reefs (Nguyen and Nguyen 2006).

It feeds on small, benthic fishes and crustaceans (Ji et al. 2015). Spawning season for this species occurs

between June and August, with a peak in July (Kobayashi et al. 2015). The maximum recorded total

length for this species is 220 cm, but it is more often encountered at 80.0 cm (Masuda et al. 1984). The

maximum reported age for this species is 15 years (Altman and Dittmer 1962).

Systems:ÊÊFreshwater (=Inland waters), Marine

Use and Trade

This species is an important commercial demersal stock in many parts of its range, including Myanmar,

China, Republic of Korea and Japan; it is mainly taken with long-lines at night, as well as bag nets. It is

marketed fresh or used as bait for shark fishing (Bianchi 1985, Smith 1999, Ji et al. 2015, Psomadakis et

al. 2020). It is also considered medicinal in China (Tang 1987). In Japan this species is also farmed,

although the quantity is unknown (Masuda et al. 1984).

Threats (see Appendix for additional information)

This species is often included in the discarded bycatch from the Kuwait Shrimp Fishery with >1 kg

relative abundance during the shrimp season from September 2010 to January 2011 (Chen et al. 2013).

It has also been recorded as a component of the Shrimp Trawl Fisheries in Bushehr coastal waters in the

northern Persian Gulf. This species contributed 43.494 kg total weight, 0.263% of total catch in 2001,

with a 0.418 kg/h catch per unit effort (CPUE). It contributed 42.876 kg total weight, 0.325% of total

catch in 2002, with a 0.275 CPUE in kg/h (Paighambari and Daliri 2012). Additionally, this species is a

component of the bycatch in the Persian Gulf Cutlassfish Trawl Fishery where it represents 20% of the

occurrences in Hormozgan and 17% of the occurrences in Bushehr; it only represented a small weight

percent of total by-catch (<0.5) in both locations (Hosseini et al. 2012).

Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)

There are no species-specific conservation measures for this species, although there are a number of

marine protected areas within its geographic range, such as the Palau National Marine Sanctuary.

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Furthermore, the Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries of Korea initiated a stock-recovery program for this

species, but there have been no reports about its effectiveness (NFRDI 2013).

Credits

Assessor(s): McCosker, J., Smith, D.G., Tighe, K., Torres, A.G. & Leander, N.J.S.

Reviewer(s): Polidoro, B., Wheel, S., Soto, S. & Harvey, M.

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Bibliography

Altman, P.L. and Dittmer, D.S. 1962. Growth, including reproduction and morphological development.

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

Bianchi, G. 1985. Field guide to the commercial marine and brackish-water species of Pakistan. FAO

species identification sheets for fishery purposes. FAO, Rome, Italy.

Chen, W., Almatar, S., Alsaffar, A. and Yousef, A.R. 2013. Retained and Discarded Bycatch from Kuwait’s

Shrimp Fishery. Aquatic Science and Technology 1(1): 86-100.

Eagderi, S., Fricke, R., Esmaeili, H. R. and Jalili, P. 2019. Annotated checklist of the fishes of the Persian

Gulf: Diversity and conservation action. Iran Journal of Ichthyology 6(Supplement 1): 1-171.

Fricke, R., Mahafina, J., Behivoke, F., Jaonalison, H., Leopold, M., and Ponton, D. 2018. Annotated

checklist of the fishes of Madagascar, southwestern Indian Ocean, with 158 new records. Fish Taxa 3(1):

1-432.

Golani, D. and Ben-Tuvia, A. 1982. First records of the Indo-Pacific daggertooth pike-conger Muraenesox

cinereus, in the eastern Mediterranean and in the Gulf of Elat (Gulf of Aqaba). Israel Journal of Zoology

31(1-2): 54-57.

Golani, D. and Fricke, R. 2018. Checklist of the Red Sea fishes with delineation of the Gulf of Suez, Gulf

of Aqaba, endemism and Lessepsian migrants. Zootaxa 4509(1): 1-215.

Goldshmidt, O., Galil, B., Golani, D., Lazar, B., Erez, J., and Barnes, A. 1996. Food selection and habitat

preferences in deep-sea fishes of the northern Red Sea. In: F. Uiblein, J. Ott, and M. Stachowtisch (eds),

Deep-sea and extreme shallow-water habitats: affinities and adaptations, pp. 271-298.

Hosseini, S.A., Raeisi, H. and Paighambari, S.Y. 2012. Temporal and Spatial Variations of Finfish Bycatch of

Cutlassfish Trawl in Bushehr and Hormozgan Marine Waters, the Northern Persian Gulf. Journal of the

Persian Gulf 3(9): 1-8.

IUCN. 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-1. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org.

(Accessed: 25 March 2021).

Ji, H. S., Kim, J. K., Oh, T. Y., Choi, K. H., Choi, J. H., Seo, Y. I. and Lee, D. L. 2015. Larval Distribution

Pattern of /i/>Muraenesox cinereus/i/> (Anguilliformes: Muraenesocidae) Leptocephali in Waters

Adjacent to Korea. Ocean Science Journal 50(3): 537-545.

Kobayashi, Y., Mototani, T., Murayama, F. and Sakamoto, T. 2015. Basic reproductive biology of

daggertooth pike conger, Muraenesox cinereus/i/>: A possible model for oogenesis in Anguilliformes.

Zoological Letters 1(25): 1-7.

Masuda, H., Amaoka, K., Araga, C., Uyeno, T. and Yoshino, T. 1984. The fishes of the Japanese

Archipelago. Tokai University Press, Tokyo, Japan.

Motomura, H., Alama, U.B., Muto, N., Babaran, R.P. and Ishikawa, S. 2017. Commercial and bycatch

market fishes of Panay Island, Republic of the Philippines. The Kagoshima University Museum,

Kagoshima, University of the Philippines Visayas, Iloilo, and Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,

Kyoto, Japan.

NFRDI. 2013. Ecology and fishing ground of major commercial species in Korean waters. Ye-Moon-

Publishing, Busan.

Nguyen, N.T. and Nguyen, V.Q. 2006. Biodiversity and living resources of the coral reef fishes in Vietnam

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marine waters. Science and Technology Publishing House, Hanoi.

Paighambari, S.Y. and Daliri, M. 2012. The bycatch composition of shrimp trawl fisheries in Bushehr

coastal waters, the northern Persian Gulf. Journal of the Persian Gulf 3(7): 27-36.

Psomadakis, P.N., Htun Thein, Russell, B.C. and Mya Than Tun. 2020. Field identification guide to the

living marine resources of Myanmar. FAO and MOALI, Rome.

Smith, D.G. 1999. Muraenesocidae. Pike congers. In: K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds), The living

marine resources of the WCP. Vol. 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to

Linophrynidae), pp. 1673-1167. FAO, Rome.

Tang, W.-C. 1987. Chinese medicinal materials from the sea. Abstracts of Chinese Medicine 1(4): 571-

600.

Watari, S., Murata, M., Hinoshita, Y., Mishiro, K., Oda, S. and Ishaitani, M. 2013. Re-examination of age

and growth of daggertooth pike conger Muraenesox cinereus/i/> in the western Seto Inland Sea, Japan.

Fish Science 79: 367-373.

Citation

McCosker, J., Smith, D.G., Tighe, K., Torres, A.G. & Leander, N.J.S. 2021. Muraenesox cinereus. The IUCN

Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T199344A2585390. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-

1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Disclaimer

To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.

External Resources

For Supplementary Material, and for Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the

Red List website.

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

Appendix

Habitats

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Habitat Season Suitability Major

Importance?

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.4. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy Resident Suitable Yes

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.5. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud Resident Suitable Yes

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.6. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Muddy Resident Suitable Yes

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.8. Marine Neritic - Coral Reef Resident Suitable Yes

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.10. Marine Neritic - Estuaries Resident Suitable Yes

12. Marine Intertidal -> 12.4. Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats Resident Suitable Yes

13. Marine Coastal/Supratidal -> 13.4. Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal

Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes

Resident Suitable Yes

Use and Trade

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

End Use Local National International

Food - human Yes Yes No

Medicine - human & veterinary Yes No No

Food - animal Yes Yes No

Establishing ex-situ production * No Yes No

Threats

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Threat Timing Scope Severity Impact Score

5. Biological resource use -> 5.4. Fishing & harvesting

aquatic resources -> 5.4.1. Intentional use:

(subsistence/small scale) [harvest]

Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

5. Biological resource use -> 5.4. Fishing & harvesting

aquatic resources -> 5.4.2. Intentional use: (large

scale) [harvest]

Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

5. Biological resource use -> 5.4. Fishing & harvesting

aquatic resources -> 5.4.3. Unintentional effects:

(subsistence/small scale) [harvest]

Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

5. Biological resource use -> 5.4. Fishing & harvesting

aquatic resources -> 5.4.4. Unintentional effects:

(large scale) [harvest]

Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

Conservation Actions in Place

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Conservation Action in Place

In-place land/water protection

Occurs in at least one protected area: Yes

Additional Data Fields

Distribution

Lower depth limit (m): 800

Upper depth limit (m): 300

Habitats and Ecology

Movement patterns: Full Migrant

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

ISSN 2307-8235 (online)

IUCN 2021: T199344A2585390

Scope(s): Global

Language: English

The IUCN Red List Partnership

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species

Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership.

The IUCN Red List Partners are: Arizona State University; BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens

Conservation International; Conservation International; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;

Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; and Zoological Society of London.

THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™

https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T199344A2585390.en

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Prevention of non-native species introductions and establishment is essential to avoid adverse impacts of invasive species in marine environments. To identify potential new invasive species and inform non-native species management options for the northern Gulf of Mexico (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas), 138 marine species were risk screened for current and future climate conditions using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. Species were risk-ranked as low, medium, high, and very high risk based on separate (calibrated) thresholds for fishes, tunicates, and invertebrates. In the basic screening, 15 fishes, two tunicates, and 26 invertebrates were classified as high or very high risk under current climate conditions. Whereas, under future climate conditions, 16 fishes, three tunicates, and 33 invertebrates were classified as high or very high risk. Very high risk species included: California scorpionfish Scorpaena guttata, red scorpionfish Scorpaena scrofa, purple whelk Rapana venosa, and Santo Domingo false mussel Mytilopsis sallei under both current and future climates, with weedy scorpionfish Rhinopias frondosa, Papuan scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis papuensis, daggertooth pike conger Muraenesox cinereus, yellowfin scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis neglecta, tassled scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus, brush-clawed shore crab Hemigrapsus takanoi, honeycomb oyster Hyotissa hyotis, carinate rock shell Indothais lacera, and Asian green mussel Perna viridis under climate change conditions only. This study provides evidence to inform trans-boundary management plans across the five Gulf of Mexico states to prevent, detect, and respond rapidly to new species arrivals.

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Jun 2023

Background The genus Huffmanela Moravec, 1987 (Nematoda, Trichosomoididae, Huffmanelinae), represents a group of nematodes that infect both marine and freshwater fish, and the main gross feature of infection with different species of the genus is the presence of noticeable dark spots or tracks within the parasitized tissues. The purpose of this study was to describe morphologically and morphometrically the eggs of a new marine species of Huffmanela (Huffmanela persica sp. nov.), which was found in the form of black spots in the ovary and the tunica serosa of the stomach of the daggertooth pike conger (Muraenesox cinereus). The new species differs from Huffmanela hamo, another species reported from musculature of this host in Japan, in egg metrics, eggshell features and targeted organ. Molecular identification and pathological examination of the lesions caused by the new species are also reported. Methods Nematode eggs with varying degrees of development were separated from the infected tissues (ovary and tunica serosa of stomach) and investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. Different species-specific markers (small subunit ribosomal DNA, 18S; large subunit ribosomal DNA, 28S; internal transcribed spacer, ITS) were used for molecular identification and phylogenetic study of the new species. Infected tissues were fixed in buffered formalin for pathological investigations. Results The fully developed eggs of H. persica sp. nov. are distinguished from those previously described from this host on the basis of their measurements (size, 54–68 × 31–43 µm; polar plugs, 6.4–9.7 × 8.4–12 µm; shell thickness, 3.5–6.1 µm) and a delicate but ornate uterine layer (UL) covering the entire eggshell including the polar plugs. Histopathological examination revealed a fibro-granulomatous inflammation in the ovary and the serosal layer of the stomach of infected fish. Maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic analysis recovered a sister relationship between the new species of marine origin and Huffmanela species previously collected from freshwater hosts. Conclusions The present study is the first to report the molecular characterization and phylogenetic position of a teleost-associated marine species of the genus Huffmanela. A comprehensive list of nominal and innominate populations of Huffmanela is also provided. Graphical abstract

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Article

Full-text available

Nov 2023

Prevention of non-native species introductions and establishment is essential to avoid adverse impacts of invasive species in marine environments. To identify potential new invasive species and inform non-native species management options for the northern Gulf of Mexico (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas), 138 marine species were risk screened for current and future climate conditions using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. Species were risk-ranked as low, medium, high, and very high risk based on separate (calibrated) thresholds for fishes, tunicates, and invertebrates. In the basic screening, 15 fishes, two tunicates, and 26 invertebrates were classified as high or very high risk under current climate conditions. Whereas, under future climate conditions, 16 fishes, three tunicates, and 33 invertebrates were classified as high or very high risk. Very high risk species included: California scorpionfish Scorpaena guttata, red scorpionfish Scorpaena scrofa, purple whelk Rapana venosa, and Santo Domingo false mussel Mytilopsis sallie under both current and future climates, with weedy scorpionfish Rhinopias frondosa, Papuan scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis papuensis, daggertooth pike conger Muraenesox cinereus, yellowfin scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis neglecta, tassled scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus, brush-clawed shore crab Hemigrapsus takanoi, honeycomb oyster Hyotissa hyotis, carinate rock shell Indothais lacera, and Asian green mussel Perna viridis under climate change conditions only. This study provides evidence to inform trans-boundary management plans across the five Gulf of Mexico states to prevent, detect, and respond rapidly to new species arrivals.

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This checklist aims to reviews and summarize the results of the systematic researches on the Persian Gulf ichthyofauna that has been carried out for more than 200 years. Since the work of C. Niebuhr, a Danish biologist in the 18th century, the number of valid species has increased significantly and the systematic status of many of the species has changed, and reorganization and updating of the published information has become essential. Here we take the opportunity to provide a new and updated checklist of fishes of Persian Gulf based on literature and taxon occurrence data obtained from natural history and new fish collections. The total confirmed fish species of Persian Gulf comprise 744 species, 131 families, 445 genera and 27 orders. In the class Chondrichthyes, the most diverse family is Charcharhinidae with 23 species (41.89%), followed by Dasyatidae with 15 species (31.08%). Within the class Actinopterygii, Gobiidae with 65 species (9.70%), Carangidae with 45 species (6.27%), Serranidae with 25 species (3.73%), Apogonidae with 25 species (3.73%), Lutjanidae with 23 species (3.43%) and Blenniidae with 23 species (3.43%) are the most diverse families in the Persian Gulf.

Annotated checklist of the fishes of Madagascar, southwestern Indian Ocean, with 158 new records

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2018

An annotated checklist of the fish species of the Madagascar EEZ (southwestern Indian Ocean) comprises a total of 1,798 species in 247 families. 158 species are recorded from Madagascar for the first time. The majority of the species is autochthonous; 28 species have been introduced, mainly in freshwater habitats. The fish fauna is mostly marine (95.4% of the total number of native fish species), with the Gobiidae, Labridae, Serranidae, Pomacentridae and Apogonidae being the families with most representatives; among the 90 native freshwater fish species (adults mainly occurring in freshwater), the Cichlidae are the dominating family, but there are also two endemic families, the Bedotiidae (16 species) and Anchariidae (6 species). The fish fauna at Madagascar is typical for offshore, high islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean. Zoogeographically, the main element of the marine fish fauna of Madagascar consists of widespread tropical Indo-Pacific species (978 species, 58.3% of the total native marine species). A total of 13 species (3.3%) are found worldwide, either circumtropical or circumtropical including warm temperate zones. A total of 215 species (12.8%) are widespread in the Indo-West Pacific. An additional 453 species (27.0%) are Indian Ocean endemics, including 233 western Indian Ocean endemics (13.9%), 73 southwestern Indian Ocean endemics (4.4%), 16 species endemic to Madagascar and Mascarenes (1.0%), 4 species endemic to Madagascar and Comoros (0.2%), 3 species endemic to Madagascar and Madagascar Ridge (0.2%), and 37 marine species endemic to Madagascar (2.2%). Most of the autochthonous freshwater fishes are endemic to Madagascar (87 species, 96.7% of the native freshwater species).

Retained and Discarded Bycatch from Kuwait’s Shrimp Fishery

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2012

The quantity and species compositions of both retained and discarded bycatch of the Kuwait’s shrimp fishery was investigated for the first time directly through onboard observation and sampling of a fishing vessel. The observations were conducted on a 131 tonne double-rigged shrimp trawler twice a month during the shrimp season from September 2010 through January 2011. The shrimp catch rate declined sharply from 19.6 to 1.1 kg/h as the season progressing, while bycatch rate remained in a high and relatively stable between 106 and 81.5 kg/h, and resulted in a large variation (5.4-73.6) of byatch-to-shrimp ratio from the season’s start to the season end. The retained bycatch was always low (11.6-15.9% of the total bycatch) throughout the season. The total species recorded in the bycatch was 112, with 55 retained and 93 discarded at sea. Thirty-nine species occurred both in retained and discarded bycatches. Saurida tumbil, Nematalosa nasus, Sphyraena flavicauda, Acanthopagrus latus and Otolithes ruber were the most dominant fish species in the retained bycatch. Discards dominated both by undersized commercially valuable species including Ilisha melastoma, Pomadasys stridens, Nematalosa nasus, Saurida tumbil and Upeneus doriae, and by non-commercial species such as catfishes, sharks and rays. Based on monthly bycatch-to-shrimp ratio, the percentage of the retained bycatch and the recorded shrimp landings, the total bycatch of Kuwait’s shrimp fishery was estimated to be 15,704 t for the 2010/11 season. Of the total bycatch, only 2192 t (14%) was retained, while the majority 13, 512 t (86%) was discarded at sea. Of the 93 discarded species, 55 are commercially valuable species, representing 61% (8242 t) of the total discarded bycatch.

Checklist of Red Sea fishes with delineation of the Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba, endemism and Lessepsian migrants

Article

Nov 2018

The current checklist provides for each species of the Red Sea its records in the Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea main basin and its general distribution.This new checklist of Red Sea fishes enumerates 1207 species, representing 164 families. Of these, 797 species were recorded from the Gulf of Aqaba and 339 from the Gulf of Suez. The number of species from the Gulf of Suez is evidently lower than the actual number not including 27 Lessepsian (Red Sea) migrants to the Mediterranean that most likely occur in the Gulf. The current list includes 73 species that were newly described for science since the last checklist of 2010. The most specious Osteichthyes families are: Gobiidae (134 species), Labridae (66), Apogonidae (59), Serranidae (including Anthiadinae) (44), Blenniidae (42), Carangidae (38), Muraenidae (36), Pomacentridae (35), Syngnathidae (34), Scorpaenidae (24) and Lutjanidae (23). Among the families of Chondrichthyes, the most specious families are the Carcharhinidae (18 species) and Dasyatidae (11). The total number of endemic species in the Red Sea is 174 species, of these, 34 species are endemic to the Gulf of Aqaba and 8 to the Gulf of Suez.

First records of the indo-pacific daggertooth pike-conger, Muraenesox Cinereus, in the eastern mediterranean and in the Gulf of Elat (Gulf of 'Aqaba)

Article

Apr 2013
Isr J Zool

Biological Handbook. (Biological and Medical Sciences: Growth, Including Reproduction and Morphological Development)

Article

Jan 1963

Temporal and Spatial Variations of Finfish Bycatch of Cutlassfish Trawl in Bushehr and Hormozgan Marine Waters, the Northern Persian Gulf

Article

Aug 2012

Hadi Raeisi

The spatial and temporal variations of finfish bycatch assemblage cutlassfish trawl were compared in two fishing areas (Hormozgan and Bushehr). Data were collected on board of commercial vessels in the fishing grounds of Trichiurus lepturus in Bushehr and Hormozgan marine waters between early May 2010 to late November, 2010. There was a significant difference in the bycatch assemblages between Bushehr and Hormozgan fishing grounds. SIMPER showed that six species contributed as much as 65% of the biomass of the bycatch assemblages between two fishing areas as follows: Nemipterus japonicus (30.5%), Ilisha melastoma (12.5%), Saurida tumbil (8.5%), Argyrops spinifer (6%), Dasyatis bennetti (4.5%) and Arius thalassinus (4%). Differences appeared for the temporal structures of bycatch assemblage in fishing grounds of Bushehr. SIMPER also showed eight species contributed to as much as 69.3% of the dissimilarity of the biomass of the bycatch assemblages between fishing seasons. These species were S. tumbil (17.3%), I. melastoma (16.3%), N. japonicus (13.3%), Carangoides malabaricus (17.2%), Rachycentron canadun (6.3%), Upeneus sundaicus (3.5%) D. bennetti (3.5%) and Epinephelus coioides (3.2%).

Field guide to the commercial marine and brackish-water species of Pakistan

Article

col. plates

Food selection and habitat preferences in deep-sea fishes of the northern Red Sea

Jan 1996
271-298

O Goldshmidt
B Galil
D Golani
B Lazar
J Erez
A Barnes

Goldshmidt, O., Galil, B., Golani, D., Lazar, B., Erez, J., and Barnes, A. 1996. Food selection and habitat preferences in deep-sea fishes of the northern Red Sea. In: F. Uiblein, J. Ott, and M. Stachowtisch (eds), Deep-sea and extreme shallow-water habitats: affinities and adaptations, pp. 271-298.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-1. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org

Mar 2021
25

Iucn

IUCN. 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-1. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 25 March 2021).

Muraenesox cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

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