The species is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and west Pacific Oceans from South Africa to New Zealand and Japan, inhabiting coastal waters, especially reefs, to a depth of 90 m. The longnose trevally is distinguished from similar species by a combination of a scaleless breast and the number of gill rakers and fin rays.

[2] The species was first scientifically described by the French taxonomist Georges Cuvier in 1833, based on the holotype specimen collected from the waters of the Seychelles.

[3] The generic position of the species was revised twice, being placed in Citula by William Ogilby and finally into Carangoides by Ian Munro, where it has remained.

[5] The longnose trevally is similar to other jacks in its overall body profile, having a strongly compressed, ovate shape as a juvenile, gradually becoming more oblong with age.

[7] The lobes of both the soft anal and dorsal fin are falcate, with juveniles having the anteriormost rays extended into filaments.

The longnose trevally is generally silver in colour, with the body and head greenish-blue above, becoming silvery with yellow-green reflections below.

[7] The longnose trevally inhabits tropical to subtropical waters in the Indian and west Pacific Oceans, ranging from South Africa and Madagascar, north to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, east to India, South East Asia, Indonesia, Japan and to Fiji.

[5] The longnose trevally is an inshore fish, normally found on coastal reefs[9] and occasionally in large protected bays.

[11] In South Africa, the species is thought to prefer prawns as its major dietary component, with crabs and small fish also taken.

[10] The longnose trevally is of minor importance to fisheries throughout its range, taken by hook and line, bottom trawls, gill nets and various types of trap.