Western Pacific: Moluccas and Philippines to Timor, north to the Mariana Islands, south to Rowley Shoals and New Caledonia; throughout Micronesia. Range extends to Pitcairn.

Small juvenile bright blue.

Inhabits patches of talus or rubble of steep outer reef slopes. Usually seen in pairs that quickly dive headfirst into their burrow when disturbed. Juveniles occasionally school with similarly colored juveniles of Pseudanthias pascalus. Stomach contents of 6 adult specimens consisted of copepods (31.4% by volume), pelagic tunicates (31%, larvaceans, plus Oikopleura), fish eggs (28.6%), siphonophores (5.5%), larval shrimps (1.2%), fish (0.8%), amphipods (0.7%), unidentified decapod larvae (0.5%), and heteropods (0.3).