Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to New Caledonia, north to southern Japan, south to New South Wales, Australia. Recently recorded from Tonga.

Head with 5 small gill slits, the last three behind pectoral fin origin; nostril close to front of snout, with short barbels and nasoral grooves connecting them with the mouth.Very long caudal fin, almost as long as the rest of the body, with a deep subterminal notch but with the lower lobe hardly developed. Yellow-brown with dark brown spots, young black with yellow bars. Adults with longitudinal skin ridges which are lacking in young. Juveniles smaller than about 70 cm, markedly different; dark with white bars and spots; pale ventrally.

A tropical inshore shark found on sand, rubble, or coral bottoms of the continental and insular shelves. Recorded to have entered freshwater.