Diagnosed from all members of the genus Moenkhausia by the body color pattern, the presence of scales on the predorsal median line and the number of anal-fin rays. Distinguished from Moenkhausia levidorsa in having a regularly scaled predorsal line (vs. a naked predorsal line); and differs from other congeners, except for Moenkhausia oligolepis, Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae, Moenkhausia pyrophthalma, Moenkhausia nigromarginata and Moenkhausia diktyota, by having a reticulated body pigmentation pattern. Differs further from all congeners with a reticulated body pigmentation pattern, except for Moenkhausia nigromarginata, by the absence of a conspicuous dark blotch in the caudal peduncle; further distinguished from Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae and Moenkhausia oligolepis by its higher number of pored lateral line scales (32-34 vs. 22-24, 27-30, respectively); and differs from Moenkhausia diktyota in the extent of the poring of the lateral line (complete vs. incomplete). Can be differentiated from Moenkhausia nigromarginata by the absence of a black stripe on the anterior edge of dorsal, pelvic and anal fins, and absence of longitudinal stripes on the body positioned over the center of the scales (vs. presence of both pigmentation patterns) and the number of anal-fin rays (iv, 24-26; vs. ii-iv, 20-22) (Ref. 75036).

Description: Dorsal fin ii,9; Anal fin iv,24-27; Pectoral fin i11-13; Pelvic i7 (Ref. 75036).