| Largehead hairtail | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Trichiuridae |
| Genus: | Trichiurus |
| Species: | T. lepturus |
| Binomial name | |
| Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758 |
|
The largehead hairtail (also beltfish), Trichiurus lepturus, is a member of the cutlassfish family, Trichiuridae. It is a long, slender fish found throughout the tropical and temperate waters of the world. The Atlantic and Pacific populations are also known as Atlantic cutlassfish and Pacific cutlassfish, respectively.
Largehead hairtails can grow to over 2 m in length; the largest recorded weight is 5 kg and the oldest recorded age is 15 years. They live in shallow coastal waters, rising to eat planktonic crustaceans during the day and returning to the sea bed at night.
In Japan, where it is known as tachiuo (lit. "sword-fish"), they are fished for food and eaten grilled or raw, as sashimi.
In Korea, the largehead hairtail is called galchi (갈치), and is a popular fish for frying or grilling. The flesh is firm yet tender when cooked, with a moderate level of "fishiness" to the smell and a low level of oiliness. The largehead hairtail is also notable for being fairly easy to debone.