Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 60 m . Tropical; 29°N - 27°S, 33°E - 171°W

Maturity: Lm 48.0  range ? - ? cm Max length : 120 cm TL male/unsexed; ; common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; max. published weight: 11.0 kg ; max. reported age: 40 years

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 15; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep, its depth 2.6-2.9 in SL (for specimens 11-55 cm SL); head length 2.3-2.5 in SL; interorbital area flat or slightly concave; dorsal head profile of adults indented at eyes and distinctly convex from there to dorsal-fin origin; rounded preopercle, finely serrate; upper edge of operculum distinctly convex, descending almost vertically to rear end of operculum; ventral edge of preorbital bone indented below nostrils; maxilla extends well posterior to eye; midlateral part of lower jaw with 3 or 4 rows of teeth; posterior nostrils triangular, 4-7 times larger than anteriors in adults; gill rakers on first gill arch 10-12 + 17-21 (rudiments often difficult to count), gill rakers short and stout, raker at angle subequal to longest gill filaments, other rakers distinctly shorter; cycloid scales except ctenoid in juvenile; body with auxiliary scales; caudal fin rounded; pectoral-fin rays 18-20; lateral-line scales 52 to 58. Colour: pale yellowish brown, with 5 vertical series of dark brown blotches that are very irregular in outline; head, body, and fins covered with close-set small brown spots, those on the dark blotches much darker than spots in between blotches; caudal peduncle with small black saddle dorsally; 2 or 3 faint, dark bars at side of jaws ( Ref. 39231, 89707). Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal;  Cross section: compressed.