Diagnosed from its congeners in Black Sea basin by having the following characters: predorsal scales with longitudinal epithelial crests; dorsal fin with 7½ branched rays; anal fin with 6½ branched rays; 37-41 + 2 scales on lateral line; 14-16 scale rows around caudal peduncle; dorsal fin situated behind middle of body, predorsal length greater than postdorsal length; anus midway between pelvic and anal origins or slightly closer to anal origin than to pelvic origin; snout shorter than or equal to postorbital distance (Ref. 59043).