It occurs in the western Pacific from the Philippines to the Society Islands, north to Japan and south to Australia.

[1] It is normally found in monogamous pairs associating with corals of the genus Acropora.

The female deposits the eggs on a coral branch which the male tends.

They are able to change sex in whichever direction favours reproductive success.

This species has a dark brown body colour with a lighter brown to reddish head which has five vertical blue lines, subadults have additional vertical lines on body.