Kujime - Kujime (English spelling) spottybelly greenling

A marine fish belonging to the order Perciformes and family Fauna. It is found in coastal areas from southern Hokkaido to Kyushu, the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and the Yellow Sea, and is particularly common in southern Japan. At first glance it resembles a rockfish and is often confused with it, but it is easy to distinguish it from the rockfish because it has only one lateral line (rockfish have five), a rounded rear edge of the tail fin, and a dark spot on the back of its head. It has skin flaps above the eyes and on the back of its head. Its body color varies significantly depending on its habitat, but it is usually a dark brown background with small light-colored circular spots densely scattered. It lives on coastal reefs and seaweed beds, and lays egg masses among seaweed in late autumn. The male protects the eggs. It grows to about 30 centimeters in length. In addition to the rockfish, closely related species include the striped rockfish and rabbit rockfish, all of which are common in northern Japan. It is caught by fishing and gill nets. It is used in stews and as sashimi, but its taste is inferior to that of rockfish.

[Kunio Amano]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

硬骨魚綱スズキ目アイナメ科に属する海水魚。北海道南部から九州までの各地の沿岸域、朝鮮半島南部および黄海に分布し、とくに南日本に多い。一見アイナメに似ているため、それと混同されているが、クジメは側線が1本（アイナメは5本）で、尾びれの後縁が丸く、後頭部に暗色斑(はん)が一つあるので、容易に区別できる。眼の上と後頭部に皮弁がある。体色は生息場所によって著しく変化するが、普通、暗褐色の地に淡色の小円斑紋が密に散在する。沿岸の岩礁や藻場(もば)に生活し、晩秋に海藻の間に卵塊を産み付ける。雄が卵を保護する。体長30センチメートルぐらいになる。近縁種にはアイナメのほかにスジアイナメ、ウサギアイナメなどがあるが、いずれも北日本に多い。釣り、刺網などで捕れる。煮つけ、刺身などにされるが、味はアイナメより劣る。

［尼岡邦夫］

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