Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and eastward to French Polynesia. Reported from the Arafura Sea. Reports by Heemstra & Randall from the Gulf of Oman, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka are unsubstantiated. Absent from the Persian Gulf and is not yet known from Lakshadweep Islands.

Found in rich coastal to outer reefs, usually along deep walls with caves, rich with invertebrate growth such as large sponges or soft corals.

A secretive species. Active nocturnally in shallow water and diurnally in deeper water. Often seen with the cleaner shrimp Periclimenes elegans. Feeds mainly on fishes.