Order Scorpaeniformes Family Hexagrammidae(Greenlings) Masked greenling Hexagrammos octogrammus(Pallas, 1814). Max length : 42.0 cm TL. max. reported age: 12 years Korean name/jul-no-lae-mi(줄노래미) Japanese name/スジアイナメ(Suji-ainame) Chinese name/叉線六線魚 Russian name/Восьмилинейный (бурый) терпуг, Buriy terpug(Alaska greenling or masked greenling).
D/spine 17-20, soft rays 22-25. A/spines 0, soft rays 22-25. Pectoral fin/spines 0 Soft-rays 18-19. Lateral line scales/86-94. Gill rakers(first gill arch)/4-5 + 11-12. Vert/51-53. Branchiostegal(새조골) /6.
Distribution: North Pacific/Chongjin in North Korea, East Sea of South Korea(Jumunjin, Pohang, Busan), north of central Japan, Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin in Russia, Kuril Islands, Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea, Alaska, British Columbia in Canada. General; The body is elongated and fusiform, laterally compressed but somewhat thick The dorsum of head is obliquely sloped. The eyes are rather small, and the space between them is flat or slightly convex. One pair of developed cirri above the eyes. No cirri on the nape. The upper jaw extends anteriorly to the lower jaw. Both jaws are covered with thick lips and have three rows of firm conical teeth. Sharp teeth are also present on the vomer and palatine bones. The mouth is slanted, and the rear end of the upper jaw extends just short of the center of the eye. The left and right gill membranes are separate from the isthmus.
The dorsal fin begins slightly anterior to the end of the operculum, and the border between the spiny and soft-rayed parts is deeply notched. The base length of the spiny part of the dorsal fin is slightly shorter than that of the soft-rayed part. The lengths of the spines in the spiny part of the dorsal fin and the soft rays in the soft-rayed part are nearly identical. The tip of the pectoral fin does not reach the tip of the pelvic fin. The pectoral fin is located on the underside of the body, and its origin is the same as that of the dorsal fin. The rear edge of the pectoral fin is rounded, and reaches far short of the cloaca. The pelvic fin is located posterior to the origin of the pectoral fin, and its posterior end extends past the pectoral fin tip but does not reach the anus(cloaca). The anus(cloaca) is located just in front of the anal fin. The origin of the anal fin is located slightly posterior to the base origin of the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin. When the caudal fin is half-spread, it has a slightly rounded truncate shape, and when fully spread, it has a rounded shape.
Masked greenling has five lateral lines. The three lateral lines on the upper body are complete. The first lateral line extends almost to the end of the dorsal fin and the second lateral line extends beyond the end of the dorsal fin. The third lateral line, like in typical fish, starts just above the operculum and reaches the middle of the caudal fin base. The first lateral lines on the left and right sides of the body converge at the back of the head in front of the dorsal fin. The fourth lateral line starts from the bottom of the abdomen below the middle of the pectoral fin, and takes off, moves forward for a short time, and then stops at the position of the pectoral fin's posterior end. The fifth lateral line starts on the underside of the belly below where the fourth lateral line ends, passes above the anal fin base, and extends almost to the lower part of the caudal fin base. The head and body are covered with small ctenoid scales, with the scales on the head being smaller.
The arrangement of the five lateral lines of the masked greenling(Hexagrammos octogrammus) when observed on the dorsal and ventral sides. Left/dorsal side. Right/ventral side. Source/N.A. Myagkov 1994. |
The body coloration of Masked greenling varies greatly depending on its living environment. It shaped brown patches and numerous small spots densely scattered all over the body. The belly side of the head and body is light-colored. Dark brown stripes radiate from the eye. The cheeks have distinct bluish-white spots. A single, round dark blotch on the body above the base of the pectoral fin. Some individuals may have a reddish tint on parts of their body, or may be predominantly red (reddish-brown) in overall color.
Inhabits rocky areas with a mix of sandy patches and well-developed seaweed. It migrates to coastal areas in early summer and to deeper waters in autumn. The spawning season is from November to December. It is carnivorous and feeds on polychaetes, crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. It is a common fish in northern Japanese markets and is consumed by locals.
※ A reliable Japanese fish information website stated that the flesh of the Masked greenling (Hexagrammos octogrammus) is has a green hue, but the green color disappears when cooked. In contrast, in 2023, several regular Korean news agencies reported overseas topics that the flesh of the Masked greenling revealed blue, which became a topic. However, the Korean news failed to mention the fish's scientific name. In the world of fish, where many similar species exist, making species identification difficult, an article that fails to identify the scientific name lacks credibility.
※ The first documented record of Hexagrammos octogrammus (줄노래미) in Korea was by Mori in 1952, who listed it as being found in Pohang and Chongjin. ※ Information for Masked greenling is very limitted in Korea, and its distribution in Korea appears to be unknown to the international academic community.
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