Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef; Guam in Micronesia. Western Indian Ocean: Mozambique.

Light to dark brown, near black with variable black spotting on body and fins, creating variegated pattern on body and irregular stripes in fins. Black 'ear' operculum spot sometimes rimmed with white.

Found in coral reefs and seagrass beds of inner bays and shallow lagoons.