Redtail Triggerfish: Facts & Habitat

About Redtail Triggerfish

Xanthichthys mento, the redtail triggerfish, blue-throat triggerfish, or crosshatch triggerfish, is a species of triggerfish from the Pacific. It inhabits outer-reef areas at depths of 6–131 m (20–430 ft), and feeds on zooplankton. Xanthichthys mento grows to a size of 29 cm (11 in) in length and occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

NativeSalt1 states

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Xanthichthys mento (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Range

Where it lives

100%of mapped records

Share of 13 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 1 states.

Share of records by state

Hawaii100%

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in the sea.

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Genus: Xanthichthys
Species: Xanthichthys mento
ITIS TSN: 173190
WoRMS AphiaID: 276247
GBIF key: 2407044
Outside the US: ITIS also files it in Mexico.

Common questions about Redtail Triggerfish

What is the scientific name of Redtail Triggerfish?

The scientific name is Xanthichthys mento, in the family Balistidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Redtail Triggerfish live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in the sea.

Where has Redtail Triggerfish been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 1 states, with the most records in Hawaii. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives