Seen occasionally in the trade -Restricted region from and Banda Seas to northern Sulawesi and west to Bali and Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.
Coastal to outer reef lagoons on rubble and coral habitats. Highly variable. Nuptial colour can change from normal colour in seconds. Usually nuptial colours are displayed during spawning, but in Sulawesi it is almost permanent, probably because of other Cirrhilabrus species there.
The eye is bright red and males usually show a dark shading or band along the end of the gill cover. Length to 11cm.