Icelinus limbaughi n. sp. is described from 36 specimens collected off the coast of California, from the Channel Islands, off San Diego, and on Cortez Bank, about 160 km off the coast of San Diego. It differs from all other species of Icelinus by the following combination of characters: a dorsal scale band that originates under the fourth to seventh dorsal-fin spine and terminates below the final or penultimate dorsal fin-ray, not extending onto caudal peduncle; absence of scales in the pectoral axilla; absence of cirri on dorsal-fin spines.