starry flounder
A species of flatfish (Platichthys stellatus) found in coastal waters of the North Pacific. The name is usually written in katakana.
北海道ではヌマガレイがよく獲れる。
Starry flounder are often caught in Hokkaido.
ヌマガレイは淡水にも入ることがある。
Starry flounder sometimes enter freshwater.
Katakana spelling is common for this fish name; usually written in kana.
Kanji form is rare and mainly encountered in specialized or older texts.
Compound of 沼 (numa, 'swamp, marsh') and 鰈 (karei, 'flounder, righteye flounder'), referring to its occasional presence in brackish or fresh water. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.