Japanese jack mackerel

Japanese jack mackerel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Carangiformes
Family: Carangidae
Genus: Trachurus
Species:
T. japonicus
Binomial name
Trachurus japonicus
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)
Synonyms[2]
  • Caranx trachurus japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844
  • Trachurops japonicus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)
  • Trachurus argenteus Wakiya, 1924

The Japanese jack mackerel (Trachurus japonicus), also known as the Japanese horse mackerel or Japanese scad, is a species named after its resemblance to mackerel but which is in the family Carangidae, the jacks, pompanos, trevallies and scads.[3] Their maximum reported length is 50 cm (20 in) with a common length of 35 cm (14 in). They have a maximum reported weight of 0.66 kg (1.5 lb) and a maximum reported age of 12 years.[2] They are found around the coast of Japan, except Okinawa Island, usually on sandy bottoms of 50–275 m (164–902 ft) deep.[2] They feed mainly on small crustaceans such as copepods, as well as shrimp and small fish. They are similar to the yellowtail horse mackerel around New Zealand and Australia, apart from having more gill rakers and larger eyes.[4]

The Japanese name for the horse mackerel is aji (あじ), and by default generally implies the species Trachurus japonicus (which can be more specifically referred to as ma-aji (まあじ), literally "true aji"). The name is most commonly written in hiragana; although a kanji (鯵) does exist, it is not in common use. It is commonly deep fried or salt-grilled.

In Korean cuisine, the fish is dubbed jeon-gaeng-i (전갱이) and is the default horse mackerel designated by this name. It is commonly grilled or fried as a jeon-gaeng-i gui (전갱이 구이). Among the specialties of Jeju cuisine is the soup gagjaegi-gug (각재기국), the name of which is derived from the name for the fish in the Jeju language.

  1. ^ Carpenter, K.E.; Jiddawi, N.; Borsa, P.; Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Yahya, S.; Obota, C. (2018). "Trachurus japonicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T20437783A67871570. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T20437783A67871570.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Trachurus japonicus". FishBase. August 2019 version.
  3. ^ "Trachurus japonicus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1844)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference FAO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).