Salangichthys Explained

Salangichthys microdon, the Japanese icefish, is a species of icefish found in Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East. With the recent removal of S. ishikawae to the genus Neosalangichthys^[1] this species is the only remaining member of the genus Salangichthys. This species grows to a total length of . Despite its small size, it is considered a food fish and caught in commercial fisheries.^{[2] [3]}

Salangichthys microdon may show both migratory (anadromous; adults in salt water but moving to fresh water to breed) and non-migratory (always in brackish or fresh water) life histories, with both types periodically occurring together.^{[4] [5]}

As food

In Japan, the fish is known as shirauo ("white fish"). It is often eaten raw as sashimi and sushi.

Notes and References

1. Fu . C. . Guo . L. . Xia . R. . Li . J. . Lei . G. . A multilocus phylogeny of Asian noodlefishes Salangidae (Teleostei: Osmeriformes) with a revised classification of the family . 10.1016/j.ympev.2011.11.031 . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . 62 . 3 . 848–855 . 2012 . 22178366. 2012MolPE..62..848F .
2. Senta, T., I. Kinoshita, and T. Kitamura (1986). Larval Ishikawa Icefish, Salangichthys ishikawae from Surf Zones of Central Honshu, Japan. Bull. Fac. Fish. Nagasaki Univ. 59: 29–35.
3. Saruwatari, T., and M. Okiyama (1992). Life History of Shirauo Salangichthys microdon; Salangidae in a Brackish Lake, Lake Hinuma, Japan. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 58(2): 235-248.
4. Arai . T. . Hayano . H. . Asami . H. . Miyazaki . N. . Coexistence of anadromous and lacustrine life histories of the shirauo, Salangichthys microdon . 10.1046/j.1365-2419.2003.00226.x . Fisheries Oceanography . 12 . 2 . 134–139. 2003 . 2003FisOc..12..134A .
5. Yamaguchi . M. . Katayama . S. . Omori . M. . 10.1111/j.1444-2906.2004.00839.x . Migration pattern of shirauo Salangichthys microdon Bleeker, in the Ishikari River system and adjacent nearshore sea area, Japan, as estimated by otolith microchemistry analysis . Fisheries Science . 70 . 4 . 546–552. 2004 . free . 2004FisSc..70..546Y .