Common name: Armorhead, Boarfish, Longfin armorhead, North Pacific armorhea, Pelagic armorhead, Slender armorhead

Japanese name: Kusakaritubodai (草刈壷鯛)

Chinese common name: 惠氏五棘鲷

Scientific name: Pentaceros wheeleri (Hardy, 1983)

Nigiri sushi detail: Slender armorhead (Kusakaritubodai) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Slender armorheads (Kusakaritubodai) is distributed from the Boso Peninsula to the Ogasawara Islands and the North Pacific Ocean. Slender armorheads live in groups on seamounts and at depths of 200 to 400 meters. They are brownish-brown in color with a light-colored abdomen, and are shorter than Japanese armorheads (Tubodai), with a pointed snout and a small mouth. The length of the body is 30-50 cm.

Its clear, beautiful white flesh can be used for a variety of purposes. Processed products from overseas are often dried, but the fish is also quite tasty as sashimi. Imported in large quantities from New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries is another closely related species. Most frozen processed products and other items labeled Tubodai are processed Kusakaritubodai. Fillets marinated in miso or sake lee are very popular.