Dark brown to yellow-tan, blue to lavender spots and markings in cheek and gill cover, may have a dark ear spot, neon-blue saddle spot over the upper tail base. In the Java sea the tail tends to be more orange. Juveniles are quite different, blue-grey gradating to orange-yellow over the most of the lower and rear body and adjacent fins, neon-blue lines on the upper head and upper back, blue spot on the upper tail base and a blue-lined black spot on the rear dorsal fin.

Unevaluated by the IUCN Red list.

Western Pacific: Philippines, Kalamantan, New Guinea, Rowley Shoals, Great Barrier Reef, and Palau (Belau), Truk, and Pohnpei in Micronesia. This sighting was in Oman. For that reason I think the habitat has spread to the Indian Ocean as well. Adults inhabit lagoons and passages among branching corals. They occur solitarily or in small groups, in a depth range of 2-12 meters.

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs