Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Port Alfred, South Africa and east to the Line Islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to Samoa and Australia.

Yellow and white spots on body; no dark bars on underside of head.

Found in reef crests with rich coral growth. Typically found among the branches of Pocillopora corals in surge areas of seaward reefs. Also observed between the branches of the fire coral Millepora and Styllophora (Eran Brokovich, pers. comm. 03/02).