Can be diagnosed from its congeners in Black and Caspian Sea basins by having the following characters: scales between anus and anal origin 4-8 (usually 5-6); breast scaled between pectorals, scales reaching forward beyond pectoral base (at least in some individuals of any population ); barbel reaching beyond anterior eye margin, often to middle of eye, its length 19-27% HL, 1.6-2.3 times in snout length; snout length greater than postorbital distance; head length 25-28% SL; head depth 14-17% SL at nape, 47-50% HL at eye; body depth 17-25% SL; head width 15-16% SL, 46-61% HL; eye diameter 5-6% SL, 2.7-3.4 times in head depth, 1.4-1.7 times in interorbital distance (at 7-10 cm SL); and caudal peduncle depth 32-40% HL (Ref. 59043).