Indo-West Pacific: including Andaman Sea (Phuket), Indo-Malayan Archipelago, the GBR, and islands of Melanesia and Tonga; occurs northward to the Ryukyu Islands. in Japan.

Two forms: northern, with all yellow dorsal fin, and southern, with little yellow.

Inhabits lagoons, passages, and outer reef slopes. Feeds on zooplankton in the water column, a short distance from the bottom. Occurs singly or in small groups.