Can be separated from all congeners in Anatolia and Europe by the position of the dorsal-fin origin conspicuously behind the pelvic-fin origin (vs. directly above or very slightly behind) and by possessing 43-46 total lateral line scales (vs. 50-90 in all others, except Luciobarbus lydianus and Luciobarbus graecus). Additional characters useful to identify this species include: 14-15, modally 15, gill rakers on the first gill arch; lips thin; lower lip with a swollen median pad margined by a shallow groove in some specimens; last simple ray of the dorsal fin well ossified, with moderate serrae along posterior edge (Ref. 77060).

Description: dorsal fin with 4 simple and 8 branched rays, anal fin with 3 simple and 5 branched rays; pectoral fin with 17-19 branched rays; and pelvic fin with 1 simple and 8 branched rays (Ref. 77060).