Eastern Indian Ocean, Malay Peninsula, southern Philippines, northern Java, Arafura Sea, Louisiade Archipelago, and northern half and southwestern Australia.

Cigar-shaped, rounded or slightly compressed; the head pointed and depressed; the snout rounded. Dorsal origin closer to the adipose origin than the snout tip. Anal fin origin is closer to the tail base than the operculum. Color is brown-gray above and creamy below, with 8-10 indistinct darker spots along the middle of the sides.

Found on the sublittoral zone above 100 m over sand or mud bottoms of coastal waters. Feeds on fishes (anchovy and red mullet Mullus surmuletus), crustaceans, and other invertebrates. Spawns from April to May off Japan. Generally marketed frozen, sometimes fresh and as fish cakes ('kamaboko') in Japan.