Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Marquesan and Society islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Vanuatu.

Distinctive humped back; horn only in adult males. A few scattered small dark-edged pale spots on postorbital head and body above pectoral fins. No white margin posteriorly on caudal fin. Profile of snout from mouth to eye strongly sloping, forming an angle of about 40° to horizontal axis of body.

Inhabits deep coastal, usually in small groups but occasionally in large schools.