Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf to the Philippines, north to Japan, south to the Arafura Sea and Australia.

Color metallic blue dorsally, silvery white below. Upper edge of operculum with black spot. Upper jaw strongly protractile. Adipose eyelid covering posterior part of eye. Breast fully scaled. 24-29 scutes relatively small. Pectoral fins falcate; first 2 anal fins detached.

Occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf. Forms large demersal schools over soft bottom habitats at depths shallower than 50 m. Sometimes ascends into freshwater reaches; encountered in the freshwater tidal zone in the Mekong delta. Ostracods, gastropods and euphausiids are common prey but small fish are also taken.