Can be readily diagnosed from other species of Physoschistura by the following combination of characters: three simple and 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays; body with 13-17 dark-brown bars on the sides and 11-16 dark-brown saddles; interorbital space with a rectangular dark-brown shield-like mark; 8 + 8 branched caudal-fin rays; moderately developed axillary pelvic lobe; males with a suborbital flap; seven pores in preoperculomandibular canal; and an air bladder with a well-formed free posterior chamber (Ref. 91244).