|Scientific Name:||Dipturus falloargus|
|Species Authority:||Last, 2008|
|Taxonomic Notes:||The False Argus Skate (Dipturus falloargus) is a short-nosed Dipturus species which differs from the Ocellate Skate (Dipturus oculus) in morphometrics and the lack of a well-developed ocellus on each pectoral fin, and differs from all other Dipturus spp. in body shape and colouration (Last 2008).|
|Red List Category & Criteria:||Data Deficient ver 3.1|
|Assessor(s):||Kemper, J. & Ebert, D.A.|
|Reviewer(s):||Walls, R.H.L. & Kyne, P.M.|
|Facilitator/Compiler(s):||Kyne, P.M. & Walls, R.H.L.|
The False Argus Skate (Dipturus falloargus) is a relatively uncommon species known only from northwest Australia where it occurs on the outer continental shelf and upper slope at depths of 120-255 m. There are no data on population size or trends throughout its range and while some commerical fisheries operate in its range, fishing effort is low. Due to the lack of population, biological and life history, and bycatch information, this skate cannot be assessed beyond Data Deficient. Further information needs to be collected including biological data, life history information, and population size to better assess this species’ conservation status.
|Previously published Red List assessments:||
|Range Description:||The False Argus Skate is distributed along the continental shelf off northwest Australia between Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia and Melville Island, Northern Territory (Last and Stevens 2009).|
Native:Australia (Northern Territory, Western Australia)
|FAO Marine Fishing Areas:||
Indian Ocean – eastern; Pacific – western central
|Lower depth limit (metres):||256|
|Upper depth limit (metres):||122|
|Range Map:||Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.|
No information is available on population size or trends for this skate, but it appears to be a relatively uncommon species.
|Current Population Trend:||Unknown|
|Habitat and Ecology:||The habitat of this skate is generally unknown, but it occupies the outer continental shelf and near the shelf break at depths of 122–256 m (Last 2008). Maximum reported size if is 49 cm total length (TL) (female); adult males have been observed at 41.4 to 45 cm TL and adolescent males at 32.5 to 37.5 cm TL (Last 2008). Smallest juvenile measured was 21.9 cm TL (Last 2008).|
|Use and Trade:||This species is not utilized in its range.|
This skate is not commercially targeted but may be a discarded bycatch in local trawl fisheries. Several fisheries exist in the area off Western Australia for prawns and fish species using trawls, gillnets, and traps, which may overlap with its range. However, these fisheries are rather restricted to small areas with low effort.
|Conservation Actions:||There are currently no conservation actions in place for this skate. There are some marine reserves present within this species' range. All sharks and rays are commercially protected under Western Australian law. This regulation essentially restricts the retention of all shark and ray products by commercial fishing vessels other than those operating in the State's managed shark fishery. Considerable areas of Western Australia's North Coast Bioregion are permanently closed to all trawling through spatial management arrangements, and there have been reductions in effort quota in the Pilbara Fish Trawl Fishery since 2009 (Fletcher and Santoro 2014).|
|Citation:||Kemper, J. & Ebert, D.A. 2015. Dipturus falloargus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T195447A68620876. . Downloaded on 06 May 2016.|
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