Indo-West Pacific: Red Se and East Africa to Samoa and Tonga, north to Japan, south to Australia. Represented by multiple color morphs in the Indo-Pacific which may be different species.

Reddish brown with blue centered bright ocelli and scattered black spots dorsally, white ventrally. Snout very short and broadly angular; disc angular; tail as long as body with conspicuous black and white rings, and with a short upper caudal finfold but a longer lower one ending well behind tail tip; disc without thorns; usually one sting on tail.

A solitary species found on sandy bottoms near rocky or coral reefs (Ref. 12951). Usually found in deeper water but moves onto the reef flat and into shallow lagoons at high tide.