Diagnosed from other species of Barbus and Luciobarbus in Balkan Peninsula and Danube drainage by the following characters: last simple dorsal ray weak, not serrated posteriorly, segmented along entire length; lower lip thick, with a pendulous median lobe; usually 9-11 scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin; usually 8-10 scale rows between lateral and pelvic-fin origin; top of head plain with small black dots, smaller than pupil; check and opercle with dark dots; paired fins unspotted, rays unpigmented or with a few dark pigments not forming dark bars; body with dark dots and blotches much darker than background; and caudal fin with elongate spots, larger than pupil diameter (Ref. 59043).