This species is distinguished from its congeners of the Himalayan foothills by the following characters: two pairs of barbels; proboscis poorly developed, represented by a squarish area in front of the nostrils; circumpeduncular scales 16; similar to G. gravelyi, G. rotundinasus and G. elongata in having a weakly developed proboscis on the snout. This species is differentiated from G. gravelyi in having branched dorsal-fin rays 8 (vs. 7), branched pectoral-fin rays 10-12 (vs. 13), predorsal scales 10-11 (vs. 8–9), absence (vs. presence) of indistinct black spots at the bases of the branched dorsal-fin rays, absence (vs. presence) of lateral stripes on side of body; from G. rotundinasus in having branched pectoral-fin rays 10-12 (vs.13-15), lateral line scales 32-33 (vs. 36-37), scales between vent and anal-fin origin 3 (vs. 5), transverse scale rows above lateral line 3½ (vs. 2½), transverse scale rows below lateral line 3½-4 (vs. 2½-3), circumpeduncular scales 16 (vs. 12), absence (vs. subtle presence) of lateral stripe along lateral line; from G. elongata in having lateral line scales 32-33 (vs. 40-41), predorsal scales 10-11 (vs. 14-15), branched dorsal-fin rays 8 (vs.7), absence (vs. presence) of transverse groove at tip of snout, absence (vs. presence) of pleated papilliferous fold at corner of mouth, absence (vs. presence) of a wide submarginal band on dorsal fin, absence (vs. presence) of a longitudinal median black band on caudal fin (Ref. 89473).