Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Tuamoto Islands, north to the Ryukyu and Hawaiian islands. Eastern Central Pacific: Costa Rica and Panama and the Galapagos.

Dark brown with irregular dark spots anteriorly, interspersed with lighter granulations that form diffuse crossbars on the tail.

Occurs in shallow lagoon and seaward reefs, primarily found in the surge zone. Benthic. Lives between rocks and corals.