Common name: Chinese seabass, Continental seabass, Spotted sea bass

Japanese name: Tairikusuzuki (大陸鱸、星鱸)

Scientific name: Lateolabrax maculatus (McClelland, 1844)

Nigiri sushi detail: Chinese seabass (Tairikusuzuki) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

The Chinese seabass (Tairikusuzuki) is distributed along the west coast of the Korean Peninsula, in the Yellow Sea, Bohai Bay, Taiwan, western East China Sea, and northern South China Sea. It inhabits seawater, brackish water, and freshwater.

Tairikusuzuki are said to have escaped from China where they were imported for aquaculture and became wild in various parts of Japan. Tairikusuzuki can reach a maximum length of 1.3 meters. Its morphology is very similar to that of the Japanese sea bass (Suzuki), but it has a smaller mouth and a large black spot on the side of its body. In the Ariake Sea, there is another species called Ariakesuzuki, which has black spots similar to those of Tairikusuzuki.

It is a very tasty white meat with a firm elasticity followed by a fluffy texture. Its taste is no different from that of Suzuki, and it is delicious as sashimi, grilled with salt, tempura, meuniere, etc.

Share this article