Indo-Pacific: East Africa to southeastern Oceania and from Australia northward to Japan. This species has been referred to as Gymnocranius robinsoni in recent literature.

Horizontal blue lines on the snout are distinctive. Forehead profile is moderately steep. Large adults develop a bony ridge on the nape and a bony shelf over the front part of the eye. The inner surface of the pectoral fin axil without scales. Overall color is silvery with thin brown scale margins. The anterior half of the head is often brown with a series of narrow undulating, longitudinal lines on the cheek and side of the snout. Fins are yellow or orange; caudal fin is frequently dusky brown; a narrow brown bar across the base of pectoral fins. Juveniles under about 25 cm SL often with 5 or 6 dark bars on the side and a dark bar below the eye.

Inhabits offshore reefs, trawling grounds of the continental shelves and offshore rocky bottoms.