Western Pacific: Japan to Australia. Unknown from the Indian Ocean except for the Andaman Islands record (as Serranus merra). Unreported from islands of Micronesia, Melanesia and central Pacific. Often misidentified as Epinephelus macrospilos or Epinephelus hexagonatus.

Inhabits inshore silty reefs; there are no records from depths greater than 50 m. Feeds on crustaceans, fishes, and worms. The enlarged fleshy pectoral fins appear to have resulted from its habit of sitting on the substrate.