The triangular batfishes are distributed throughout the warmer waters of the world, although they are absent from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.

[1] Alcock gave the type locality of M. lutea as the Andaman Sea at 11°31'40"N, 92°46'06"E, Investigator station 115 from a depth between 188 and 220 fathoms (1,128 and 1,320 ft; 344 and 402 m).

[3] 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.

[10] The body disc is very triangular in shape with a widely based rostrum which isclearly pointed and long and which overhangs the mouth.

[11] These fishes are small, the largest species in the genus is the giant triangular batfish (M. gigas) with a maximum published standard length of 13.6 cm (5.4 in) while the smallest is McCrouther's triangular batfish whit a maximum published standard length of 4.5 cm (1.8 in).