Pacific yellowtail emperor (Isofuefuki) is distributed from Wakayama Prefecture and southward to the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It inhabits the outer edges of coral reefs, the sandy bottoms of lagoon lakes, and seaweed zones. It is 30 to 40 cm long. Its mouth is red, and there is a single red line running from the corners of its mouth to its tail. In the Ryukyu Islands, it is most commonly seen together with the Spangled emperor (Hamafuefuki).

It has no peculiar taste, and its firm white flesh is very tasty and good for sashimi. It is also a little watery, but the skin is delicious, so it is good when grilled with salt. The fish is also delicious in ara soup (soup made from boiling leftover fish scraps). It is a very popular fish in Okinawa and is also one of the high quality sushi toppings at sushi restaurants in the prefecture.

Common name: Pacific yellowtail emperor, Atkinson’s emperor, Reticulated emperor, Sky emperor, Tricky snapper, Tuamotu emperor, Yellow morwong, Yellow-tailed emperor, Yellowbrow emperor, Yellowtail emperor

Japanese name: Isofuefuki (磯笛吹)

Taiwan common name: 阿氏龍占魚、龍尖、龍占、紅龍

Chinese common name: 太平洋黄尾龙占、太平洋裸颊鲷

Korean common name: －

Scientific name: Lethrinus atkinsoni Seale, 1910

Nigiri sushi detail: Pacific yellowtail emperor (Isofuefuki) Nigiri sushi