Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa; southern Japan to the Arafura Sea, western Australia and Queensland. Occurrence in India is questionable.

Body bright scarlet with 3-4 narrow pale vertical bars; median fins with narrow black margin; pelvic fins dark red, blackish distally.

Associated with rocky habitats and known from 80 to more than 100 m depth but probably also occurring in shallower water, especially as juveniles. Eggs are pelagic (0.75 mm), small and spherical.