Western Pacific: Ryukyu Islands to the Indo-Australian Archipelago (Malay Peninsula to New Guinea and northern Australia).

Head profile steep. Preorbital bone broader than eye. A deep groove between the eye and nostrils. Preopercular notch and knob absent. Mouth large extending to below middle of eye. Anterior dorsal soft rays produced into filaments in young. Pectoral fins long reaching level of anus. Scale rows on back parallel to lateral line. Juveniles whitish along lower half of the body from below eye level. Young with bright blue stripes on yellowish sides; brown back. Adults yellowish brown to reddish. Sometimes show faint vertical barring. Numerous blue lines along scale-rows that are brightest in sub-adults.

Inhabits coral reefs, from shallow water to depths of at least 50 m. Occurs singly. Feeds mainly on fishes. Frequently ciguatoxic in certain areas. In Hong Kong live fish markets.