Indo-West Pacific: Maldives to Fiji and the Marshall Islands, north to Taiwan. Recently recorded from Tonga.

Color of body grayish brown; edges of scales orangish or bluish; dorsal and anal fins with whitish spot on its posterior half; anus region blackish; upper base of pectoral with a blackish spot. Opercular margin serrate. 15-17 tubed lateral line scales. Eyes large.

Inhabits cave openings and crevices of steep outer reef slopes in small aggregations. May also be seen singly with black corals, large sponges or gorgonian fans.