Both large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker are common fish ingredients in the aquatic market. In many people's eyes, large yellow croaker is what small yellow croaker looks like when they grow up. There is not much difference between them, but the size is different. In fact, it's not the same thing, because there are many differences between large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker. In addition to the size, they are different There are obvious differences in body structure and taste.
1. Head and eyes
The head and eyes of large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker are obviously different. The head of small yellow croaker is longer, but the eyes are smaller, while the head and eyes of large yellow croaker are larger. When people observe the two kinds of fish together, they can easily see the difference between them. The tail stalk of large yellow croaker is long and plucked, while that of small king fish is wide and short.
2. Scales
There are a lot of scales on the body surface of large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker, but the scales of large yellow croaker are relatively small, there are 8-9 rows of scales between its dorsal fin and lateral line, while the scales on the body surface of small yellow croaker are relatively large, there are only 5-6 rows of scales between its dorsal fin and lateral line. After removing the vertebrae of large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker, we can also find the differences on their vertebrae. The vertebrae of large yellow croaker are mostly 25-27, while the vertebrae of small yellow croaker are between 28-30.
Differences between large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker
3. Otolith
The difference between large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker is mainly reflected in their otoliths. Although they are closely related 'sister fish', the otoliths in their inner ears are different. The surface of these otoliths has different lines, just like the tree rings. The surface of large yellow croaker's otoliths has many lines, while the surface of small yellow croaker's otoliths has few lines.
4. Weight and length
Large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker also have obvious differences in body weight and length. The body length of large yellow croaker is mostly between 40 cm and 50 cm, and its weight is about one kilogram. Those large yellow croaker with larger body size can be more than 80 cm in length, and their weight can be as high as 4-5 kg. The body length of small yellow croaker is relatively short, most of them are between 16 cm and 25 cm, and the body length of the largest small yellow croaker is no more than 50 cm, and their weight is mostly between 100 g and 300 G.