Myliobatis tobijei

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	CHONDRICHTHYES	RAJIFORMES	MYLIOBATIDAE

Scientific Name:

Myliobatis tobijei

Species Authority:

Bleeker, 1854

Common Name/s:

English

–

Japanese Eagle Ray, Kite Ray

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Data Deficient ver 3.1
Year Published:	2009
Assessor/s:	Jeong, C.-H. Ishihara, H. & Wang, Y.
Reviewer/s:	Valenti, S.V. & Fowler, S.L. (Shark Red List Authority)
Justification: The Japanese Eagle Ray (Myliobatis tobijei) is a common demersal eagle ray, occurring from intertidal habitats to depths of at least 220 m on sandy muddy bottoms. Its range includes Japan, Korea, Okinawa Trough, China, and South China Sea This species attains a maximum size of at least 114 cm disc width (DW) and males mature by 65 cm DW. It is believed to be ovoviviparous, but little else is known about the biology of this species. This species is caught as bycatch in longline, trawl and set net fisheries and retained for human consumption, fish meal and sometimes used for display in aquariums. However the current lack of catch data as well as the limited knowledge on its biology prevents an accurate assessment of the vulnerability of this species and it is assessed as Data Deficient. Further research on its biology, threats, capture in fisheries and population trends is required and this assessment should be revisited in the near term.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Northwest Pacific: Japan, Korea, Okinawa Trough, China, and South China Sea marginal to the Western Central Pacific (where status is uncertain). Possibly found in waters surrounding Indonesia (Gloerfelt-Tarp and Kailola, 1984).
Countries:	Native: China; Japan; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of Presence uncertain: Indonesia
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – western central; Pacific – northwest
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Data to determine population trends are not currently available.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	A common inshore and offshore species, occurring on sandy muddy bottoms from intertidal habitats to depths of at least 220 m (White et al. 2006). A carnivorous species that feeds on benthic fauna, shrimp, crab, fish and clams (Yamada et al. 2007). This species attains at least 114 cm disc width (DW) and 150 cm total length (TL) and males mature by 65 cm DW (White et al. 2006, Yamada i 2007)). All mylobatids are believed to be ovoviviparous (Compagno 1997) and M. tobijei may produce eight young per litter (H. Ishihara pers. comm.). Little else is known about the biology of this species.
Systems:	Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

A common inshore and offshore species, occurring on sandy muddy bottoms from intertidal habitats to depths of at least 220 m (White et al. 2006). A carnivorous species that feeds on benthic fauna, shrimp, crab, fish and clams (Yamada et al. 2007).

This species attains at least 114 cm disc width (DW) and 150 cm total length (TL) and males mature by 65 cm DW (White et al. 2006, Yamada i 2007)). All mylobatids are believed to be ovoviviparous (Compagno 1997) and M. tobijei may produce eight young per litter (H. Ishihara pers. comm.). Little else is known about the biology of this species.

Systems:

Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species is caught as bycatch by bottom trawl, longline and set net fisheries. It is retained for human consumption and used for fish meal (H. Ishihara pers. comm.). Although there are no species specific catch data, data on distribution and fisheries suggest that eagle rays are important components of the western central Pacific?s utilised batoid catch.

Major Threat(s):

This species is caught as bycatch by bottom trawl, longline and set net fisheries. It is retained for human consumption and used for fish meal (H. Ishihara pers. comm.).

Although there are no species specific catch data, data on distribution and fisheries suggest that eagle rays are important components of the western central Pacific?s utilised batoid catch.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are no specific conservation measures in place at this time. Like many deepwater species, further biological and fisheries data are required to assess any future conservation needs. Where taken, catches require monitoring. The development and implementation of management plans (national and/or regional e.g., under the FAO International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks: IPOA-Sharks) are required to facilitate the conservation and management of all chondrichthyan species in the region.

Conservation Actions:

There are no specific conservation measures in place at this time. Like many deepwater species, further biological and fisheries data are required to assess any future conservation needs. Where taken, catches require monitoring.

The development and implementation of management plans (national and/or regional e.g., under the FAO International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks: IPOA-Sharks) are required to facilitate the conservation and management of all chondrichthyan species in the region.

Bibliography [top]

	Compagno, L.J.V. 1997. Myliobatidae: Eagle rays. In: K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds), FAO Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Western Central Pacific. The living marine resources of Western Central Pacific, Volume 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes Part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrinidae), pp. 1511-1519. FAO, Rome. Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. And Kailola, P.J. 1984.. Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwestern Australia. The Australian Development Assistance Bureau, The Directorate General of Fishes, Indonesia, and The German Agency for Technical Cooperation. IUCN. 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2009.2). Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 3 November 2009). White, W.T., Last, P.R., Stevens, J.D., Yearsley, G.K., Fahmi and Dharmadi. 2006. Economically Important Sharks and Rays of Indonesia. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. Yamada, U., Shirai, S., Irie, T., Tokimura, M., Deng, S., Zheng, Y., Li, C., Kim, Y.U. and Kim, Y.S. 1995. Names and illustrations of fishes from the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation, Tokyo, Japan.

Compagno, L.J.V. 1997. Myliobatidae: Eagle rays. In: K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds), FAO Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Western Central Pacific. The living marine resources of Western Central Pacific, Volume 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes Part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrinidae), pp. 1511-1519. FAO, Rome.

Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. And Kailola, P.J. 1984.. Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwestern Australia. The Australian Development Assistance Bureau, The Directorate General of Fishes, Indonesia, and The German Agency for Technical Cooperation.

IUCN. 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2009.2). Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 3 November 2009).

White, W.T., Last, P.R., Stevens, J.D., Yearsley, G.K., Fahmi and Dharmadi. 2006. Economically Important Sharks and Rays of Indonesia. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia.

Yamada, U., Shirai, S., Irie, T., Tokimura, M., Deng, S., Zheng, Y., Li, C., Kim, Y.U. and Kim, Y.S. 1995. Names and illustrations of fishes from the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation, Tokyo, Japan.

Citation:	Jeong, C.-H. Ishihara, H. & Wang, Y. 2009. Myliobatis tobijei. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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