Rhinichthys atratulus can be diagnosed by the following characters: back and side with many brown-black specks; deep caudal peduncle; barbel in corner of mouth; groove separating snout from upper lip absent; pointed snout slightly overhangs mouth; 53-70 scales on lateral line; 7 anal rays; pharyngeal teeth 2,4-4,2. Body light brown above, black spot followed by silver spot on dorsal fin base; black stripe along side, through eye and onto snout, continuous in young, as blotches in adult; often a silver stripe above black stripe; and silver white below. Breeding male can be distinguished by having pads on upper surface of pectoral fin, yellow-white pectoral and pelvic fins, white to red stripe below black body stripe (Ref. 86798). Body stout, spindle-shaped; mouth slightly inferior, slightly oblique and extending to below nostril; pointed barbel in groove at angle of mouth. Gill rakers short, conical, widely spaced (Ref. 54725).