Overview
The body of the madai is robust, high and moderately compressed. The lower jaw is slightly shorter than the upper. The single dorsal fish has 12 strong spines with 10-12 soft rays and the spines are not elongated into filaments. The head and upper body are red/brown and the sides and belly silvery. Numerous small bright blue spots are scattered over the body. The fins are red or faint red. A narrow black margin and a pale lower lobe of the caudal fin are characteristic.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Siluriformes
- Family
- Sparidae
- Genus
- Pagrus
- Species
- major
Habitat
Madai are bottom living at depths of 10 to 200 m deep, often on rough grounds, sand and mud. Adult fish migrate into shallower water to spawn in late spring and summer. Juvenile fish occur mainly in the shallower seas.
Diet
Madai primarily feed on crustaceans such as crabs and shrimp, mollusks like clams and oysters, and small fish. They use their strong pharyngeal teeth to crush shells while foraging on the ocean floor, typically during daylight hours. Their feeding behavior adapts to seasonal availability of prey in their benthic habitat.
Behavior
Madai are generally solitary or form small schools, especially during migration and feeding. They are diurnal, active during the day for foraging and resting at night, and exhibit territorial behavior around spawning grounds. These fish migrate seasonally to shallower waters for reproduction, showing strong swimming capabilities in open ocean environments.
Fishing
Fishing methods vary from surfcasting and jetty fishing to drift fishing, jigging or anchoring to chum. They feed on wide range of bottom-living invertebrates and also on fishes, so bait selection should be fairly easy. The red color of the fish and flesh, the shape and taste of the madai are particularly appealing and it is a popular food fish throughout its range. It is particularly high priced in Japan where it is much sought for ceremonies and celebrations. The madai is important both as a game fish and to the Japanese fishing industry, where much of the catch is the product of aquaculture.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.