This species is endemic to the waters of the southeastern Atlantic and southwestern Indian Oceans around Southern Africa.

Lophius vomerinus was first formally describedin 1837 by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes with its type locality given as the Cape of Good Hope.

[3] The genus Lophius is one of 4 extant genera in the family Lophiidae which the 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies in the monotypic suborder Lophioidei within the order Lophiiformes.

The specific name vomerinus means "vomerine", referring to the lack of teeth on the vomer, although this appears to be an age related feature.

[2] Lophius vomerinus is an important target species for commercial fisheries in Namibia.