Worldwide in tropical seas. Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA and Bermuda to Santos, Brazil; throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Eastern Atlantic: Senegal to Congo. Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea to Algoa Bay, South Africa and to Sri Lanka. Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Peru.

Body superficially naked, with minute and embedded scales. Body silvery with light metallic bluish tinge dorsally; a small diffuse dark spot on opercle. Weakly developed scutes, appearing naked. Only fish in the family that does not have dorsal fin spines throughout life.

Pelagic in neritic and oceanic waters, sometimes near the bottom. Small juveniles may be found near the shore; adults near bottom to depths of 60 m (Ref. 26938). Feed on sedentary or slow moving crustaceans and occasionally feed on small crabs and fishes.