Dark body with yellow-green to blue mesh, yellow-green snout and cheek, white rear body and tail base, dark “moustache” band above the mouth.

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Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Delagoa Bay, Mozambique and east to the Line and Tuamoto islands including the Maldives, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia. Occur in lagoon, seaward reefs and sheltered inner reef slopes. Juveniles often associated with isolated patches of branching coral or rubble of shallow sandy protected areas. Adults occur singly or in pairs on the slopes of deep lagoon or seaward reefs.

Oviparous. Eggs are guarded by the females.