Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Line, Marquesan, and Ducie islands, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to Lord Howe Island; throughout Micronesia.

Brownish with dusky reticulations. No dermal flap or small tentacle dorsally on eye. Two large pores in interorbital space, one on each side close to the edge of the orbit. Tubular anterior nostril near the edge of the snout at the base of the upper lip, the tube is not long; when laid back reaching almost half way to posterior nostril. Second lateral line not fully developed.

Lives among corals of shallow reef flats and lagoons.