Is saury the same as hairtail? What is the difference between the two

Saury is not hairtail. Saury belongs to the order Clupeiformes, family Engraulidae, genus Coilia, and is a freshwater fish; together with pufferfish and Reeves' shad, it is known as one of the three delicacies of the Yangtze River in China, whereas hairtail belongs to the order Perciformes, family Trichiuridae, genus Trichiurus, and is a saltwater fish.

Differences between saury and hairtail

1. Different appearance

Saury is relatively small in size; adult saury generally has a length of 18-25 cm. Saury has an elongated body, a laterally compressed body, tapering toward the rear into a sickle shape. The head and back are light blue, the sides of the body are slightly yellow, the belly is grayish white, the bases of all fins are creamy yellow, and the edge of the caudal fin is black.

Hairtail is relatively large in size; the average length of an adult hairtail is about 1 m. Its body is laterally compressed like a belt and is silver-gray, the dorsal fin and pectoral fins are light gray with very tiny spots, and the tail is black. Hairtail has a pointed head and a large mouth, and tapers gradually toward the tail.

2. Different living environments

Saury is a warm-water, small, pelagic migratory fish. It usually inhabits offshore brackish and freshwater areas, and in the reproductive season it enters freshwater from estuaries, swimming upstream along the main stream to spawning grounds in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River for reproductive migration.

Hairtail lives in the deep sea and is distributed in China's Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea.

3. Different foods

Saury is a small fish species and feeds on small insects and small fish. Hairtail is a fierce carnivorous fish and feeds on Acetes shrimp, squid, and similar prey.