The Indian snapper Lutjanus madras (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1831), previously believed to be restricted to the Indian Ocean, was recorded from the western Pacific Ocean, based on a single specimen (221.3 mm in standard length) collected from Panay Island, Republic of the Philippines. The observation suggests that this species has a wider distribution range than that previously recognized, extending across a well-established biogeographic barrier for marine organisms. Intraspecific morphological variation of the species was also briefly discussed.