M. vanicolensis can reach a maximum length of 38 cm (15 in). The back is red-orange, while the flanks and the belly are whitish and the fins are yellow. The sides show a yellow longitudinal band. This species feeds on crustaceans or worms at night. By day, it forms large aggregations.

Distribution

Geography

Continents

Antarctica, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Oceania

Subcontinents

Polynesia, East Asia, Central America, North Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia

Oceans

Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian ocean

Seas

Red Sea, Tasman Sea, Sulu Sea, South China Sea, Solomon Sea, Philippine Sea, Persian Gulf, Coral Sea, Caribbean Sea, Bismarck Sea, Bay of Bengal, Banda Sea, Bali Sea, Arafura Sea, Arabian Sea, Andaman Sea

Islands

Andaman Island, Easter Island, Gilbert Island, Howland-Baker Island, Kiribati Line Island, Midway Island, Mozambique Channel Island, Nicobar Island, Paracel Island, Phoenix Island, Spratly Island, US Line Island, Wake Island

Biogeographical realms

Antarctic, Palearctic, Nearctic, Neotropical, Oceanian, Australasian, Indomalayan, Afrotropical

These fish are widespread in the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to Hawaii and the Tuamotus, north to Japan and to Lord Howe Island to the south. The yellowfin goatfish is a reef-associated species. It usually can be found in lagoons and seaward reefs at depths of 1–113 m (3.3–370.7 ft).