【Reading】きだい

【English Name】Yellow Sea Bream

Kidai is written in kanji as "黄鯛" (yellow sea bream) and is a saltwater fish classified in the subfamily Sparinae (kidai subfamily) of the family Sparidae. In the distribution field it is widely circulated under the alternative name "renkodai" (connected-child sea bream), and among fishers and anglers this designation is rather the more common one.

Its body length is usually about 20–30 cm, one size smaller than madai (red sea bream) or chidai. Its body color is reddish overall, and showing a yellowish coloration from the eyes across the nose to the upper jaw is the origin of the Japanese name "kidai" (yellow sea bream). Three pairs of pale yellow spots line up along the direction of the dorsal fin, and it can be distinguished by the absence of the blue small spots characteristic of madai on the body surface. Also, the structure in which all the teeth are conical with no molars is cited as a taxonomic difference from other sparid fishes.

Its distribution range is the entire western Pacific, straddling from central Honshu southward to Australia, and it inhabits the bottom layer at depths of around 50–200 m in schools. It rarely appears in coastal areas or enclosed inland seas like the Seto Inland Sea. In longline fishing it has the habit of hooking several individuals in succession, which is said to be the origin of the name "renkodai" (connected-child).

Its flesh is soft, light white meat, and compared to madai it is available on the market at a more accessible price range. Because it spoils quickly, it often appears on the table as salt-grilling or simmered dishes, and this species is frequently chosen for the small grilled sea bream that adorns celebratory occasions such as weddings.