Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Rapa and Easter Island, north to southern Japan, south to Australia and New Zealand. Eastern Central Pacific: Mexico to Panama, including offshore islands.

Often misidentified as Fistularia petimba, a reddish or brownish-orange deep-water species with bony plates along dorsal midline.

Vertically flattened rather than laterally compressed body. Long whiplike tail filament. Color is green dorsally, grading to silvery white ventrally, with two blue stripes or rows of blue spots on the back. Dorsal and anal fin orange becoming transparent at base. Caudal filament white.

Adults inhabit reef habitats to a depth of at least 128 m, except in heavy surge areas. Also found in sandy bottoms adjacent to reef areas.