This species is distinguishable from other japanese striated spined loaches by the following characteristics: body size relatively small, the mature size about 45-55 mm SL in males, 55-65 mm SL in females; lamina circularis at the base of the pectoral fin of adult male simple roundish plate, the upper segments of the first branched soft ray narrow and weak; PMN commonly 13; line L3 formed by incomplete longitudinal line, reaching to caudal base, fused with L1 and L4 on posterior part of body ; line L4 formed by longitudinal jagged line, reaching beyond dorsal fin in male of non-spawning season; line L5 organized in 10-16 roundish or ovoid blotches, fused with L4 on caudal body in non-spawning season; caudal fin and dorsal fin with 4-5 arcuate bars; upper spot at the caudal base jet-black approximately eye diameter; lower spot at caudal base faint or missing; egg yolk diameter approximately 0.8 mm; karyotype diploid (2n = 50) (Ref 92393).