Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 60 m . Tropical; 34°N - 31°S, 30°E - 116°W

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 45.4 cm FL male/unsexed; ; common length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; max. published weight: 1.6 kg

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12. This species is distinguished by the following characters: postmaxillary process single; A III,12 (rarely 13); lateral line scales 57-65 (usually around 61); scale rows on spinous part of dorsal fin horizontal; supratemporal bands of scales often interrupted at dorsal midline by a scaleless zone, always a V-shaped scaleless zone anteriorly at midline intruding between the supratemporal band of scales; body colour with upper body bluish and the lower white to pale bluish; a single yellow or golden stripe directly above lateral line except on caudal peduncle where it is about 1 scale above lateral line, the yellow stripe 2 or 3 scales wide, bordered directly above and below by a white or light blue stripe which is about 1 scale wide, caudal-fin lobes with a black median streak .