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Japanese Halfbeak
Hyporhamphus sajori
Hyporhamphus sajori, commonly known as the Japanese halfbeak, Japanese needlefish, or sayori (サヨリ, sayori), is a slender, surface-dwelling fish in the halfbeak family, native to coastal waters influenced by warm currents.
From the article Hyporhamphus sajori on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
The Japanese halfbeak makes a popular dish during the spring fishing season, often called a "seasonal spring fish". Adults typically measure 20–30 cm in length, with some reaching 40 cm, and average around 300 grams, though this varies.
Range & habitat
H. sajori was first described in 1846 by Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Hermann Schlegel. It belongs to the genus Hyporhamphus within the Hemiramphidae family, initially named Hemiramphus sajori. Genetic studies using mitochondrial DNA show low population diversity, with 70 specimens collected from East Asia (Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula) appearing similar based on family tree and network analyses.
Wikipedia: “Taxonomy and distribution”
What it does
The fish can be infected by an egg-bearing female Mothocya isopod, typically in the left gill area. One such case was recorded on May 17, 2019, in Toyama Bay off Ishikawa Prefecture.
Wikipedia: “Ecology”
In human culture
It is a favored ingredient in cuisine, often served raw as sashimi or grilled, and commonly found in restaurants.
== References ==
Wikipedia: “Cultural Significance”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
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In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Hyporhamphus sajori in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 57300.