Silvery color, with brown mid-lateral stripe. Thin elongate snout and flattened body. The first dorsal spine extends from the rear body with a hinge, allowing the rear half to angle. This is the main aspect that sets it apart from the rigid shrimpfish (Centriscus scutatus). They usually hang face down amongst the spines of urchins or staghorn corals.

Unevaluated by the IUCN Red list, but the species is more commonly found in (shallow) tropical waters

Indo-West Pacific: Tanzania and Seychelles, from southern Japan to New South Wales, Australia. Sheltered reefs from 1-42 m.

–