Western Pacific: Philippines to New Caledonia, north to Yaeyama Islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef; throughout Micronesia.

Inhabits muddy bottoms of inshore bays and lagoons from about 3 to at least 20 m and uses a vertical, tube-like burrow of an unidentified invertebrate for refuge. Occurs in coastal and inner reefs on sand and rubble flats to about 20 meters depth.