Nezuppo - Nezuppo (English spelling) dragonet

A general term for marine fish of the family Ranunculidae in the order Perciformes of the class Osteichthyes. They are found in tropical and temperate zones around the world, and in Japan they are found from southern Hokkaido to the Ryukyu Islands. They live on sandy and muddy bottoms from the coast to the edge of the continental shelf at a depth of about 200 meters. They range in length from just over 3 cm at maturity to 20 cm at full length. Their bodies are long and slender, flattened from top to bottom. At first glance, they resemble flatheads (order Cottenidae, family Flathead), but they are easily distinguished by their lack of scales and their small mouths that protrude downward and forward. They secrete a large amount of mucus on the surface of their body, which makes them slippery when held in the hand. Their gill slits are small and located on the back, and their preoperculum (one of the bones that make up the gill lid) has strong spines. They use their large pectoral and pelvic fins to glide along the seabed. The shape and markings of the fins differ between young and old males and females. In general, as males grow, their dorsal, anal, and caudal fins become larger or longer, and their markings become more beautiful. The back of the body is yellowish brown with marble-like markings, which closely resemble the color of the sand on the seabed.

They live by preying on small bottom-dwelling animals such as polychaetes (a type of lugworm) and amphipods. During the spawning season, the male raises his dorsal and anal fins to attract the female, and once a pair is formed, the male and female overlap the tips of their pelvic fins as if holding hands, bring their bodies closer together, and rise to release eggs and sperm. The spawning season varies depending on the species, but it is any time between spring and autumn. The eggs have a distinctive tortoiseshell pattern, making them easily distinguishable from the eggs of other fish species.

There are over 130 species in 19 genera known worldwide, and 29 species in 13 genera in Japan. They are commonly caught by bottom trawling and fishing along the coast, so they have various local names in different parts of Japan. For example, Nodokusari (Kochi and Osaka areas) and Megochi (Tokyo and Fukuoka areas). Nezuppo can also refer specifically to Slime Gochi Repomucenus lunatus . It takes a lot of effort to cook because the mucus from its body needs to be removed, but the flesh is white and firm, making it delicious when stewed or fried.

[Tetsuji Nakabo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

硬骨魚綱スズキ目ネズッポ科の海水魚の総称。世界中の熱帯から温帯まで分布し、日本では北海道南部から琉球(りゅうきゅう)諸島まで分布する。沿岸から水深200メートル前後の大陸棚縁辺部までの砂泥底にすむ。全長は3センチメートル余りで成熟するものから20センチメートルに達する種類までさまざまである。体は上下に扁平(へんぺい)で細長い。一見、コチ類（カジカ目コチ科）に似ているが、体に鱗(うろこ)がないことと、口が小さく、前下方に突出することで容易に区別される。体表面に粘液を多量に分泌し、手に持つとぬるぬるする。鰓孔(さいこう)は小さくて背方にあり、前鰓蓋骨(ぜんさいがいこつ)（えらぶたを構成する骨の一つ）に強い棘(とげ)がある。大きな胸びれと腹びれを使って海底を滑るように泳ぐ。老幼雌雄でひれの形や斑紋(はんもん)が異なる。一般に雄では成長すると背びれ、臀(しり)びれ、尾びれが大きく、あるいは長くなり、斑紋が美しくなる。体の背中は黄褐色で大理石様の斑紋があり、海底の砂の色とよく似ている。

　多毛類（ゴカイの仲間）、ヨコエビ類などの底生小動物を捕食して生活する。産卵期には、雄は背びれや臀びれを立てて、雌を誘い、ペア（つがい）が成立すると、雄と雌はまるで手を取り合うように互いの腹びれの先端を重ね、体を寄せ合って上昇し放卵放精をする。産卵期は種類によって異なるが、春から秋までの時期のいずれかである。卵には特徴的な亀甲(きっこう)模様があり、ほかの魚種の卵と容易に区別される。

　世界では19属130種余りが知られ、日本には13属29種がいる。沿岸の底引網、釣りなどでごく普通にとれるので、日本各地でいろいろな地方名がある。たとえば、ノドクサリ（高知、大阪地方）、メゴチ（東京、福岡地方）などである。ネズッポといえばとくにヌメリゴチRepomucenus lunatusをさすこともある。体の粘液を落とすため料理に手間がかかるが、肉は白身でよくしまり、煮つけ、てんぷらにしておいしい。

［中坊徹次］

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