Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesan and Pitcairn islands, north to Ryukyu and Hawaiian islands, south to Australia.

Covered with short hairlike filaments. With vertical scale rows about 30; usually with 4 spines on suborbital ridge, first on lateral face of lachrymal bone; usually 1 additional spine below suborbital ridge at level between second and third spines; presence of interorbital spines; absence of small spines at midline between tympanic spines.

Inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 40 m.