Indo-West Pacific: East Africa through Indonesia to Micronesia, north to China and the Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia.

Margins of median fins black.

Found over silty and muddy bottoms around inner reefs. Common in mangroves and enter estuaries and rivers. Toxin concentrated in the skin. Contains 28.7 µg/g tetrodotoxin in the internal organs while the flesh holds 1.7 µg/g.