Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, Red Sea, Arabian Peninsula, Persian Gulf to India and Andaman Islands; and southeast Asia. Reaches south to the Arafura Sea and northern Australia.

Body oval, compressed, robust. Lower opercular spine extending well beyond the opercular flap. Post-temporal bone exposed posteriorly and serrate. Color is dusky green above, white below; body, head and fins with an iridescent sheen. Four longitudinal brown stripes extend on the upper side from the head. A large prominent black blotch is on the distal end of the spinous portion of the dorsal fin. Similar brown stripes run across the caudal fin.

Inhabits coastal waters. Often found in brackish waters.