Redtail triggerfish (Xanthichthys mento)
Image source: Jo's Animal Database
General data
- Main name: Redtail triggerfish
- Local names: Blue-throat triggerfish, Crosshatch triggerfish, Crosshatch triggerfish, Blue-throat trigger
- Climates: Tropical, Subtropical
- Habitat: Saltwater
- Native: Asia, Australia & Oceania
- Distribution: Pacific Ocean
Classification
- Genus: Xanthichthys - Xanthichthys
- Family: Balistidae - Triggerfishes
- Order: Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes
- Class: Actinopteri - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
Description
Xanthichthys mento – commonly known as the redtail triggerfish, blue-throat triggerfish, or crosshatch triggerfish – is a species of triggerfish found in the Pacific Ocean. This species inhabits outer reef slopes and drop-offs at depths ranging from 6 to 131 meters (20–430 feet), where it is typically seen swimming in small groups or as solitary individuals.
Appearance: X. mento has a laterally compressed body typical of triggerfishes. Its overall body color is pale gray to bluish, with a distinctive blue throat patch and a bright red tail fin, which gives the species its common name. The body is marked with subtle crosshatch or reticulated patterns, more noticeable in juveniles, which fade slightly with age. Adults may also show a faint yellowish hue along the dorsal and anal fins.
Size: It can grow up to 29 cm (11 in) in length.
Diet: Xanthichthys mento is a planktivore, feeding primarily on zooplankton, including small crustaceans and larval organisms drifting in the water column.
Distribution: This species is widespread across the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean, including areas such as Hawaii, the Great Barrier Reef, the Marshall Islands, Fiji, and other island groups in the central and western Pacific. It prefers clear, deep waters of outer reefs rather than shallow lagoons.