A new species of Lycengraulis Günther, 1868 (Clupeiformes: Engraulinae) from the Amazon basin, Brazil, with comments on Lycengraulis batesii (Günther, 1868).

A new species of Lycengraulis from the Amazon basin is described. Lycengraulis figueiredoi can be distinguished from L. grossidens by a short upper maxilla, its posterior margin not reaching the lower maxilla joint (vs. upper maxilla longer, its posterior margin reaching to or a little past of mandible joint). Lycengraulis figueiredoi can be distinguished also from L. poeyi by 26 to 31 anal-fin rays (vs. 21 to 23 anal-fin rays) and by 44 to 46 vertebrae (vs. 42 vertebrae), and from L. batesii by having the anal-fin origin at vertical through base of second to fifth dorsal-fin ray (vs. anal-fin origin at vertical through base of sixth to 10th dorsal-fin ray) and by 17-21 gill rakers on the lower branch of first gill arch (vs. 12-15 gill rakers on the lower branch of first gill arch). The new species occurs in the rio Purus, Negro, Trombetas and Solimões, in the Amazon basin, Brazil.