Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Pitcairn islands, north to the Ryukyu and Bonin islands, south to Lord Howe Island and Rapa. Unknown from the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

Identified by the yellowish color and broad black rounded bar, but black sometimes reduced to a trace.

Common in passages, frequently associated with Acropora, Stylophora, or Pocillopora coral heads or a single head of Pocillopora eydouxi. Usually seen solitary.