Diagnosed from other species of Barbus and Luciobarbus in Balkan Peninsula by having the following characters: last simple dorsal ray not stronger than branched rays, not serrated posteriorly; 47-53 + 2-3 scales on lateral line; 5-7 scale rows between lateral and pelvic base; small black spots (plain in some populations from Peloponnese) on head and body; often faint dark stripes or faint rows of dark spots along scale rows; lower lip with a median swollen pad (Ref. 59043).