Common name: Finespotted flounder, Ridged-eye flounder, Frog flounder

Japanese name: Meitagarei (目痛鰈、目板鰈)

Taiwan common name: 木葉鰈、扁魚、皇帝魚、半邊魚、比目魚、肉瞇仔 (澎湖)

Korean common name: 도다리

French common name: Carlottin meita-gare

Russian common name: камбала рогатая 

Scientific name: Pleuronichthys cornutus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)

Nigiri sushi detail: Finespotted flounder (Meitagarei) Nigiri sushi

Features:

Finespotted flounder (Meitagarei) is distributed from southern Hokkaido southward, in the Yellow Sea, and in the northern East China Sea. It has a high body profile, is nearly diamond-shaped, and has a small head. Both eyes are on the right side of the body. The eyed side is grayish-brown with numerous scattered black spots. The eyeless side is white. It inhabits sandy-mud bottoms in coastal shallow areas to depths of about 100 meters. Its body length is 20-30 cm.

Though small, it has thick flesh and is delicious simmered in soy sauce. However, it can be confused with the cheaper Nagaremeitagarei. Its skin has a pine needle-like odor; if disliked, remove the skin before cooking.

In the San’in region, it is also called Matsubagarei (matsuba means pine needles). While many in Tokyo are unfamiliar with it, it is considered a premium fish in western Japan. Its peak season is summer, and fresh ones are delicious even as sashimi.

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