Indo-Pacific: East Africa to Fiji, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef.

Wide bands on body; red spots on dorsal and caudal fins; broad red band along the basal part of the anal fin; reddish oblique stripe on caudal fin; pelvic fins fused and with blue spots.

Apparently the most common shallow-water species of the genus found in coral reef areas, but may occur at depths greater than 30 m. Usually found in rubble areas near or within coral reefs and in symbiotic association with alpheid shrimps, most often with Alpheus ochrostriatus. Found in coastal sand slopes and deep lagoons, shallow to 40 meters depth range.