Indo-Pacific: East Africa, including the Mascarene Islands to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island.

Plain brown or olivaceous in color, paler below; subadults with black caudal rays, narrow margins and white caudal filaments; pectoral fins with white distal margins.

Juveniles occur in clear, shallow lagoon reefs at depths as little as 1 m; adults rarely seen in less than 25 m, encountered off outer reef drop-offs in small schools.