The taxonomy and nomenclature of the Western Atlantic species of Menticirrhus Gill, 1861 (Sciaenidae) are discussed. Forms mentioned in the past literature have been reexamined to be atributed to one of the two species that occur along the Brazilian coast: M. americanus (L.) and M. littoralis (Holbrook). References to M. littoralis, frequently mentioned in the literature by South American authors, actually refer to M. littoralis.