Indo-Pacific. Eastern Pacific: southwestern coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico and Gulf of California to Ecuador.

Color of juveniles and young adults bright yellow to silvery; broad and narrow black bars alternating; fins yellow. Adults with few black blotches or spots on sides; bars, if present, very faint. Lips thick and fleshy. Breast completely scaled. Pectorals falcate ; anal fin with 2 detached spines.

Occur in deep lagoon and seaward reefs where they feed by rooting for crustaceans and other invertebrates in the sand. Also feed on small fishes. Small juveniles live among the tentacles of jellyfish. Form schools. Noted for their behavior to closely swim around sharks and other large fish, but also following divers.