Common name: Alfonsino, Fusen alfonsino, Red bream

Japanese name: Fusenkinme (風船金目)

Taiwan common name:  軟體金眼鯛、紅魚、紅大目仔

Chinese common name: 软体金眼鲷

Scientific name: Beryx mollis Abe, 1959

Nigiri sushi detail: Fusenkinme (Fusen alfonsino) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Fusenkinme (Alfonsino) is distributed in Sagami Bay, the East China Sea, the Ryukyu Islands, off the coast of Vietnam, and the northern part of the western Indian Ocean. It inhabits the continental shelf edge at depths of 100 to 500 meters. Its body length reaches approximately 30 centimeters.Fusenkinme has a slightly higher body height than Kinmedai. The nostrils of Kinmedai are narrow and slit-like, whereas those of Fusenkinme are oval-shaped. The spines in front of the eyes are more pointed and protruding in Fusenkinme, which helps distinguish it from Kinmedai.

Fusenkinme is commercially available as food and is often sold indistinguishable from Kinmedai in markets. It is said to be fattier than Kinmedai and is also known by the alternative names “Torokinme” and “Aburakinme.”