It has a steeply sloped forehead, with a concave upper profile to the snout, and the preopercular incision and knob are weakly developed.

[3] The back and flanks are red or reddish-orange, paler on the lower shanks and abdomen, and the fins are reddish.

The juveniles have a wide, diagonal band of brown or black which starts on the upper jaw and ends at the front of the dorsal fin, they also have an obvious black band across the caudal peduncle which has a pearly-white margin on its front edge.

[7] Lutjanus malabaricus has a wide range in the Indo-West Pacific to the Persian Gulf east to Fiji, from southern Japan south to Australia.

Adults occur in coastal and offshore reefs, frequently being encountered around sponges and gorgonian corals, or in areas of hard muddy bottom.

[1] Lutjanus malabaricus is considered to be a high quality food fish and is pursued by commercial, artisanal and recreational fisheries throughout its range.