It is diagnosed from all congeners by presenting an A-patterned frontal squamation. Additionally, males of the new species differs from all congeners by the color pattern of body, the color of iris, the absence of contact organs in the pectoral fin, presence of scales on anal-fin base, pectoral-fin length, caudal fin length, and eye diameter. Females of the new species can be diagnosed from remaining congeners by the pectoral-fin length.
A new annual fish of the genus Simpsonichthys (Cyprinodontiformes:
Cynolebiidae) from the upper Rio Jequitinhonha basin, Brazil