Indo-Pacific: anti-tropical in distribution. Reported from Seychelles but Randall and van Egmond 1994 believe otherwise. Eastern Pacific: Costa Rica and Easter Island and Chile.

Dark purplish brown with small yellow spots which is sparse on the tail. This species is similar to Gymnothorax meleagris in having biserial maxillary teeth, with inner and outer series about equal in length; intermaxillary teeth arranged in a peripheral series, a median series, and an intermediate series on each side between the median and peripheral series.

Benthic in crevices.