Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to the western Pacific where it ranges from southern Japan to New Caledonia and New South Wales, Australia. Recently recorded from Tonga. Not yet recorded from any oceanic island in the western Indian Ocean. Invaded eastern Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.

Body with subequal stripes of brownish red and silvery white; spinous dorsal dark red with a large, quadrangular, whitish blotch in middle of each membrane (except the first) forming a median band; dorsal membrane tips white, except posteriorly. Premaxillary groove often ending above anterior edge of orbit; anterior end of nasal bone with a blunt spine; surface or medial edge of nasal bone spineless; nasal fossa usually without spinules on its edge; upper edge of 1st suborbital bone with a slightly retrorse lateral spine a short distance posterior to a vertical at front edge of eye, followed by a ridge of recumbent spinules; preopercular spine usually about 2/3 orbit diameter.

Found in coastal reefs; silty reefs or wrecks in lagoons, bays, or harbors.