Indo-West Pacific: Gulf of Oman to southeast Asia, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia. This species has been referred to as Lutjanus malabaricus (non Schneider) or Lutjanus altifrontalis by many recent authors. Occurrence in the Red Sea needs confirmation.

Deep-bodied. Dorsal profile of head sloped. Length of upper jaw smaller than distance bet. base of last dorsal and anal rays. Preorbital bone usually narrower than eye diameter. Preopercular notch and knob poorly developed. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Juveniles with an oblique band extending from mouth to beginning of dorsal fin and a black spot at the caudal peduncle.

Inhabit trawling grounds and reefs. They are present over shoals, rubble, corals, large epibenthos, hard or sandy mud substrates and offshore reefs.