With a distinctive pointed snout, big eyes and thick lips, this wild-caught, marine fish is found mainly on the continental shelf especially over sandy bottoms and around lagoons and coral reefs, in tropical waters to around 50m, and caught mainly off northern Australia by trawls and lines. The bright red blotch on the gill flap, near the pectoral fin, distinguishes it from other Emperors. It is one of the main commercially-caught Emperors and the smallest.