We describe a new species of pimelodid catfish belonging to the genus Pimelodus from the Cebollatí, Tacuarí and Yaguarón rivers emptying into the Laguna Merín, Uruguay. Pimelodus pintado n. sp. is distinguished from congeners by the combination of its densely spotted pigmentation pattern with many small dots irregularly placed over flanks, head and all fins, and, when fresh, metallic golden background color, plus thick striated lips with prominent rictal folds, long snout, prominent upper jaw, anterior naris far from snout margin, narrow premaxillary tooth bands with rounded posterolateral corners, toothless prevomer and 22–26 gill rakers on first branchial arch. Pimelodus pintado is compared to other spotted species of Pimelodus including P. maculatus, P. heraldoi, P. absconditus, P. microstoma, P. mysteriosus, P. paranaensis, P. platicirris, P. ortmanni, P. britskii, P. fur, P. grosskopfii, P. navarroi, P. coprophagus and P. punctatus.

New taxon: Pimelodus pintado Azpelicueta, Lundberg and Loureiro