Western Pacific: Ryukyu Islands to Australia and Melanesia. Possibly more widespread, but confused in the literature with Macolor niger.

Preorbital bone broader than eye diameter. Mouth large, the maxilla extending to below anterior half of eye. A deep notch on lower edge of opercle. Scale rows on back parallel to lateral line. Juveniles with white spots on back, a black bar through eye and a broad, thick horizontal band from eye to rear edge of opercle. A black stripe from pectoral region to lower caudal lobe. Adults have yellow eyes.

Inhabits steep slopes of lagoon, channel, or seaward reefs. Juveniles occur singly on protected reef slopes with feather stars, in staghorn corals or large sponges; adults commonly occur on deep reef slopes and may be in small groups.