Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesas and Line islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia. Southeast Atlantic: East London, South Africa.

Dorsal profile of head steeply sloped. Preorbital width usually greater than eye diameter, but sometimes less in small specimens. Preopercular notch and knob well developed. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Generally bright yellow on upper two-thirds of the side and white ventrally, with a series of four lateral blue stripes. The fins are also bright yellow.

Inhabit coral reefs, occurring in both shallow lagoons and on outer reef slopes. Frequently found in large aggregations around coral formation, caves or wrecks during the day. Juveniles inhabit seagrass beds around patch reefs. Benthopelagic. Feed on fishes, shrimps, crabs, stomatopods, cephalopods, and planktonic crustaceans.