Worldwide distribution in tropical and warm temperate waters. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde and Dakar to Moçamedes, Angola; ranging further south to Namibia. Western Atlantic: Chesapeake Bay (USA), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Throughout the Indian Ocean.

Dark bluish dorsally, silvery white ventrally with black blotches on middle of body. Body greatly compressed laterally; anterior parts of dorsal and anal fins with high falcate lobes. Pectoral fins falcate; about 12-14 prominent dark vertical bars on body; juveniles and adults have an elevated black lobe in the posterior part of the dorsal fin.

Inhabits neritic and oceanic waters but more often found near islands.