Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Algoa Bay, South Africa and east to the Line, Marquesan, and Pitcairn islands, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to New Zealand and Rapa.

Tan to light red brown in color, dusky scale margins; a brown mid-lateral stripe from tip of snout, through eye to upper caudal base (stripe may fade on peduncle); black spot at base of caudal fin.

Occurs in clear water lagoon patch reefs and seaward reefs from the lower surge zone to a depth of 45 m.