What Kind of Fish Is the Japanese Spanish Mackerel? Four Major Differences from the Pacific Saury Explained at Once

The Japanese Spanish mackerel, also known as the blue-spotted mackerel, is a relatively large marine fish with extremely high nutritional value. Eating it regularly can boost qi, treat anemia, and prevent aging, making it very suitable for elderly people to eat. It is fairly common in supermarkets nowadays, and its price is a bit on the expensive side. So what kind of fish is the Japanese Spanish mackerel? What is the difference between it and the Pacific saury?

1. What kind of fish is the Japanese Spanish mackerel?

1. The Japanese Spanish mackerel is a marine fish of the order Perciformes, family Scombridae, genus Scomberomorus. Its body length is about 25-50cm, overall slender and laterally compressed, with a spindle-shaped body. There are 3 raised ridges on each side of the body, of which the middle ridge is the longest and highest, and it has black round spots. It has a dorsal fin, anal fin, pectoral fins, pelvic fins, and caudal fin. Behind the dorsal fin and anal fin there are 8 small finlets each. The pectoral fins and pelvic fins are short and small with no hard spines, and the caudal fin is large and deeply forked.

2. The Japanese Spanish mackerel is also called the blue-spotted mackerel, and there are several types such as the Chinese mackerel, spotted mackerel, and Korean mackerel. It is mainly distributed in the waters of China's Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea, and East China Sea, and migrates back to the Bohai Sea to spawn during the summer and autumn spawning season.

3. The Japanese Spanish mackerel is a fast-swimming marine fish. Unlike other fish, it does not have sufficiently developed mouth and gills, so it cannot obtain enough oxygen like other fish. It must swim quickly to make enough seawater flow through its gills to get enough oxygen. If it does not swim, it will die from lack of oxygen, which is also one of the reasons why Japanese Spanish mackerel are often seen dead.

4. Although the Japanese Spanish mackerel is highly nutritious, its blood, head, and internal organs contain a large amount of histidine, and eating them by mistake can cause poisoning or endanger life, so it must be handled properly when eaten. Of course, whether poisoning occurs is also related to whether one has an allergic constitution, so people with allergies should not eat it.

5. The Japanese Spanish mackerel is rich in nutritional value, containing abundant protein, vitamins, and various other nutrients. Eating it regularly can refresh the mind, prevent aging, and boost qi, making it very suitable for people who are malnourished, weak after childbirth, or suffering from neurasthenia.

2. What is the difference between the Japanese Spanish mackerel and the Pacific saury?

Difference 1, different family and genus: The Japanese Spanish mackerel is a marine fish of the order Perciformes, family Scombridae, genus Scomberomorus; the Pacific saury is a surface migratory fish of the order Beloniformes, family Scomberesocidae, genus Cololabis.

Difference 2, different appearance: The Japanese Spanish mackerel has an elongated, laterally compressed body with a length of about 25-50cm, overall silvery and bright, with a large mouth and a pointed protruding snout, black-blue spots or dark stripes on its back, and it swims quickly; the Pacific saury has a slender, laterally compressed body with a length of about 35cm, a relatively long head, a dark grayish-blue back and upper sides, a single weak ridge line in the center of its back, a silvery-white belly, and a silver-blue longitudinal band in the center of its side.

Difference 3, different distribution range: The Japanese Spanish mackerel is distributed in the western North Pacific, and is also found in China's Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and other areas; the Pacific saury is distributed in the North Pacific region, and abroad it is mostly found in the Bering Sea, Sea of Japan, Mexico, Alaska, California, and other waters, while in China it is mostly found in the Yellow Sea and along the eastern coast of Shandong.

Difference 4, different effects: The Japanese Spanish mackerel has the effects of boosting qi, enriching blood, refreshing the mind, and preventing aging, making it very suitable for people who are malnourished, suffering from postpartum depression, neurasthenia, or anemia; the Pacific saury has the effects of lowering blood pressure and preventing cirrhosis, making it very suitable for patients with high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis of the liver, or myocardial infarction.

Overall, the Japanese Spanish mackerel is a marine fish that grows in the waters of the Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea, East China Sea, and other areas. It has the effects of boosting qi and blood and preventing aging, and is very suitable for elderly people, people who are malnourished, and people with postpartum depression. Although it looks similar in length to the Pacific saury, the two differ somewhat in family and genus, appearance, and effects, so pay attention when buying.