Aoyagara (English spelling) cornetfish

A marine fish belonging to the family Cornetidae in the order Sticklebacks of the class Osteichthyes. It is found widely in tropical areas from southern Hokkaido southward, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. Its body is long and slender, with a vertically flattened snout and a tubular snout. The two soft rays of its caudal fin extend like threads. It differs from the closely related red cornet in that the area between its eyes is flat, the lateral line scales on its caudal peduncle do not have backward-facing spines, and it is light green or light brown in color. It grows to a total length of 1.5 meters. It lives on coastal rocks and coral reefs, sneaking up on small fish and sucking them in to eat. Its meat is mild and can be boiled or grilled with salt, but the flavor is inferior to that of the red cornet.

[Akira Ochiai and Kunio Amano]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

硬骨魚綱トゲウオ目ヤガラ科に属する海水魚。北海道南部以南、太平洋、インド洋の熱帯域に広く分布する。体は細長くて縦扁(じゅうへん)し、吻(ふん)は管状。尾びれの2軟条は糸状に伸びる。近縁のアカヤガラとは、目と目の間が平坦で、尾柄(びへい)部の側線鱗(りん)に後ろ向きの棘(とげ)がなく、淡緑色や淡褐色であることで異なる。全長1.5メートルになる。沿岸の岩場やサンゴ礁にすみ、小魚に忍び寄って吸い込むように食べる。肉は淡泊で煮魚、塩焼きなどにするが、味はアカヤガラより劣る。

［落合　明・尼岡邦夫］

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