Endemic: Papua to Kalimantan (Ref. 47567). Occurs in Banggai Islands, Derawan Island, Sulawesi (Ref. 35918). Type locality: Bandang Island, Bandang Islands (Ref. 35918, 48636). Only known from eastern Sulawesi, ranging from Lembeh Strait to the Banggai Islands and Kalimantan. At Derawan on shallow reef crests in small groups in 6-15 m depth. In Lembeh Strait on open deep sand slopes on patches with mixed low corals and algae-rubble, but mixed with P. filamentosus (Ref. 48636). Also known from Halmahera and West Papua (Ref. 90102).