We documented and interpreted outcrops of late Miocene sediments (upper Solimoes Formation) from the Eirunepe region (state of Amazonia), which is clearly expressed in our paper Gross et al. (2011). We do not discuss the geological history of the entire Amazon region, neither in terms of (palaeo-)geography nor in time. Therefore, we refuse the comment of Figueiredo and Hoorn (2011) that we have drawn over-generalized conclusions, which may mislead readers. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.