Common name: Giant grouper, Banded rockcod, Brindle bass, Brindle grouper, Coral cod, Dragon grouper, Mottled-brown sea bass, Queensland grouper, Queensland groper

Japanese name: Tamakai (魂交)

Taiwan common name: 鞍帶石斑魚、龍膽石斑、過魚、槍頭石斑魚、倒吞鱟、鴛鴦鱠、龍躉 (香港)

Chinese common name: 鞍带石斑鱼

Scientific name: Epinephelus lanceolatus (Bloch, 1790)

Nigiri sushi detail: Giant grouper (Tamakai) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Giant grouper (Tamakai) is distributed on Hachijojima Island, south of Wakayama Prefecture in the Pacific Ocean, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Kagoshima Prefecture, Okinawa Islands, Ogasawara Islands, Taiwan, South China Sea, Indo-Pacific waters, Red Sea, and Hawaiian Islands. It inhabits rocky reefs and coral reef areas. Maximum body length exceeds 2 meters. The body color is grayish brown to dark with yellow and black spots. This is evident in juveniles, but becomes indistinct as it grows.

The fish is quite resilient and has a good balance of flavor and sweetness, making it a high quality fish. Larger sizes are rarely caught, and aquaculture is flourishing in Okinawa, Taiwan, and elsewhere. Its mild taste allows it to be enjoyed in a variety of cooking methods, and it can be made into soup, nabe, grilled, sashimi, deep-fried, and other dishes.

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