Western Central Pacific: Gulf of Thailand and the Philippines to Papua New Guinea and northern Queensland, Australia.

Rear edge of maxilla ends below anterior nostril, well in front of eye. Preopercular spine single, long, bayonet-like, reaching to or past rear opercular margin, accessory spine lacking. Caudal fin emarginate, upper lobe longest, bearing an elongate filament. Dorsal and anal fin rays usually 13. Lateral line scales often about 94.

Taken by trawling over sand bottoms from about 5 to 53 m.