dragonet; Richard's dragonet
Refers to fish of the family Callionymidae, especially Repomucenus richardsonii. A specific biological term; in everyday contexts, the katakana name is used.
The dragonet is a small fish that buries itself in sandy bottoms.
The name likely derives from 鼠 (nezumi, 'mouse/rat') and a suffix っぽ, possibly from 坊 (bō, 'boy/monk'), referring to the fish's appearance. The exact derivation is uncertain.