Status at New Ireland. First recorded from New Hanover by Peters (1877: 843); specimens observed at Kavieng fish market by Barry C. Russell on 7 and 14 June 2014.
Distribution and habitat. New Ireland: 1, 2.—General distribution: East Africa, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Marshall and Society islands, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia, Lord Howe Island and Tonga. Found on subtidal reef flats, lagoon and seaward reefs, among branching corals while adults found in areas of mixed sand, rubble, and coral, 0–30 m depth. Marine.