Common name: Rhomboid squid, Diamondback squid, Diamond squid

Japanese name: Sodeika (袖烏賊)

Scientific name: Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel,1857

Nigiri sushi detail: Rhomboid squid (Sodeika) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Rhomboid squid (Sodeika) is distributed throughout the world in tropical and subtropical waters. It lives at depths of 0 to 250 meters. Its body is bright red, muscular, and spindle-shaped. An adult has a body length of about 100 cm. Its season is from June to November, and its main production area is Okinawa Prefecture. Accounting for more than half of all catches in Japan, it is one of the largest-growing species of edible squid.

The advantage of Sodeika is that fresh ones are rather tough and flavorless, but once frozen and thawed, the flesh becomes soft, sticky, and sweet. Sodeika is rarely found in supermarkets or markets but it is often used as a sushi topping at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants, so everyone must have had a taste of it. Although sashimi is the most common, it can be used in various dishes such as deep-fried, grilled, and stir-fried. Because of its affordable price, it is often used at restaurants such as conveyor-belt sushi restaurants.