Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and islands in the western Indian Ocean to the Line and Marquesan Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef; Mariana and Marshall Islands in Micronesia.

Yellowish to greenish gray in color; lower half of eye to ventral of chin nearly enclosed by a broad blue-edged dark red to purple area; opercle with 2 diagonal bright blue bands; pectoral fin base with an orange-red bar broadly bordered with bright blue. Chin barbel followed by a median longitudinal fold. Fins yellowish; 2nd dorsal a median longitudinal row of blue spots.

This schooling species inhabits exposed seaward reefs in relatively shallow water, over hard bottoms. Usually many individuals occupy the same refuge. Found to be subjected to strong currents, where in small to large aggregations.