[2] The hawkfish anthias is distributed from southern Japan, where it occurs in the Ryukyu and Izu Islands, and Taiwan south to the Great Barrier Reef and Palau.

[1] The hawkfish anthias is found in inshore waters in the vicinity of coral reefs, small groups may occur near caves, overhangs and drop-offs,[2] at depths of 10 to 70 metres (33 to 230 ft).

[1] It can be found singly or in small groups and tends to be a secretive species which frequently swims upside down under overhangs or cave ceilings.

[3] The hawkfish anthias was first formally described by Masao Watanbe in 1949 with the type locality given as Itoman, Okinawa, in the Ryukyus.

Later John E. Randall and Phillip C. Heemstra were able to show that S. latus and D. mcmichaeli were synonymous and that the species should be placed in the subfamily Anthiinea of the Serranidae.