The Coral Trout is usually red to greenish brown. The median fins (glossary) and upper two thirds of the head and body have numerous small dark-edged blue dots.

The median rays of the caudal fin often have a white margin. The colouration can vary with time of day, the surrounding habitat and the type of activity the fish is pursuing.

This species grows to 75cm in length. It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific. In Australia the Coral Trout is known from north-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.