Moulton's handfish was first formally described in 2009 by the Australian zoologists Peter R. Last and Daniel C. Gledhill with its type localitygiven as off Cape Howe, New South Wales in southeastern Australia.

[4] Moulton's handfish is characterised by having a large, variably sized esca which is typically more than half the length of the thick and fleshy illicium.

[5] Moulton's handfish is endemic to southeastern Australia where it has been recorded from five separate locations.

These are east of Cape Howe, New South Wales, south-east of Lakes Entrance, the eastern Bass Strait in Victoria, south of Gabo Island, Victoria and south-east of Cape Barren Island off northern Tasmania.

[1] Moulton's handfish is a deep living, demersal fish which is found in five know, disparate subpopulations and these are threatened by trawl and dredge fisheries.