Diagnosed from Cobitis linea by having one lamina circularis at the base of second ray of the male pectoral fin. Differs from Cobitis taenia by the combination of the following characters: dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 6-7 branched soft rays; anal fin with 2-3 unbranched 5-7 branched soft rays; caudal fin with 13-16 branched rays; one brownish streak across eye from the tip of nose, no streak on cheek and a black spot smaller than eye diameter near the dorsal corner of the caudal fin base; four lateral pigmentation zones well developed and reaching beyond the dorsal base and also one reduced zone; L1 zone narrower than L2; L3 with 20-28 obvious dark speckles; L2 and L4 zones with irregular spots; L4 zone with few small spots; L4 is reduced; L5 zone wider than L1 and L3, with 14-20 roundish to oval blotches; on post dorsal body, L2 zone reduced (Ref. 89431).