Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Marshall and Pitcairn island groups, north to Japan, south to Australia.

Juveniles have a conspicuous dorsal ocellus behind a wide white band. Large adults are uniformly dirty bronze.

Inhabits surge-swept shorelines and seaward reef margins. Juveniles often occur in pockets of the intertidal reef crest, while adults are found in ridges between surge channels. Feeds on benthic algae. Juveniles found in sheltered ocean bays, shallow low boulder-reefs above sand level. Known in clear-water reefs in gutters and upper edge of drop-offs.