Circumtropical. Indo-Pacific: East Africa to Rapa, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to New Caledonia. Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands. Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada and Bermuda through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to to São Paulo, Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde to southern Angola.

Body elongate and somewhat compressed; adipose eyelid very well developed, almost covering the entire eye; edge of shoulder girdle (cleithrum) with a ventral furrow, a large papilla located immediately about the furrow and another smaller one near the dorsal edge; lateral line with 29 to 42 scutes; lower branch of first gill arch with 27 to 31 gill rakers. Color metallic blue to bluish green dorsally, shading to white ventrally; the lateral yellow stripe sometimes present. Lower margin of gill opening with a deep furrow, a large papilla immediately above it and a smaller one near upper edge. Operculum with black spot. Straight part of lateral line with 0-11 scales and 29-42 scutes. First 2 anal spines detached; pectoral fins falcate.

Prefers clear oceanic waters around islands to neritic waters.