Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Society Islands (but not the Hawaiian Archipelago), north to Japan, south to northern Australia.

Dorsal fin arising well behind pectoral tips; pectoral fins teardrop-shaped; snout very short; jaws elongate; anterior nostril in a very short tube in upper lip, closely followed by an ethmoidal pore, a barbel, and the posterior nostril which is in outer lip and entirely covered by a flap; labial cirri numerous, unbranched and slender in anterior half of lip of mandible, those posterior and along lower lip branched at tips; flesh above and behind eye laterally elevated as a ridge; dorsal head profile notably incised and medially constricted behind eyes, the flesh forming a narrow transverse ridge behind dorsal margin of eyes; head pores and lateral-line pores apparent; free sensory neuromasts visible as rows of small white spots on nape; teeth conical.

Generally found in shallow lagoon sand, rock and broken coral substrates at depths of 0-2 m. Benthic. Occurs in sandy bottoms from intertidal to over 12 m. Remains buried in sand with only the eyes protruding where it waits to ambush fish.