Halieutopsis tumifrons was first formally described in 1890 by the American zoologist Samuel Garman with its type locality given as off the Galápagos Islands at 0°36'N, 86°46'W, Albatross station 3400A, from a depth of 1,322 fathoms (7,932 ft; 2,418 m).

[3] Within its genus the almost scale-less underside suggests that it is a close relative of H. nudiventer, H. bathyoreos, H. ingerorum, H. okamurai and H.

[5] The family Ogcocephalidae is classified in the monotypic suborder Ogcocephaloidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World.

[8] The disc of the body is very flattened and has an almost quadrangular shape with a marked indentation on its frontal edge.

The lower surface of the disc is naked except for scales on either side of the anus which are part of the lateral line.