Japanese whiting

Japanese whiting
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Spariformes
Family:	Sillaginidae
Genus:	Sillago
Species:	S. japonica
Binomial name
Sillago japonica Temminck and Schlegel, 1843
Range of the Japanese whiting

The Japanese whiting (Sillago japonica), also known as the Japanese sillago or Shiro-gisu, is a common species of coastal marine fish belonging to the smelt-whiting family, Sillaginidae. As suggested by its name, the Japanese whiting was first recorded from Japan in 1843, but has subsequently been found to extend to Korea, China and Taiwan.

The species inhabits a variety of shallow water habitats where it preys on a variety of crustaceans as well as polychaetes, bivalves and small fish. They spawn between June and October, and are taken in large quantities during this period by fishermen. Being one of the most abundant species of fish around Japan, they make up a large percentage of the commercial catch.