Diagnosis: Arabibarbus arabicus has 29-38 scales in the lateral line, the wedge-shaped head is longer, 24.3-30.8% of standard length, and higher, 13.9-17.0% of standard length, than in Arabibarbus grypus (Ref. 96964). The body is strong and laterally flattened; the dorsal fin is high, 22.9-35.5% of standard length, and well ossified; the pectoral fins, 18.0-22.2% of standard length, and pelvic fins, 14.9-18.6% of standard length, are shorter than in Arabibarbus hadhrami (Ref. 96964).

Description: The body is strong, slender and laterally flattened, a nuchal hump is absent or very small; the head is wedge-shaped and elongate with a straight dorsal profile and straight or slightly convex ventral profile; the head length is greater than the body depth (Ref. 96964). The mouth is broad and sub-terminal with two pairs of well-developed barbels, which are considerably longer than the eye diameter and a small median lobe on the lower lip; the eyes are lateral in the anterior half of the head and slightly protuberant (Ref. 96964). The dorsal fin is high and has 3-4 unbranched and 7-9 branched rays; the last unbranched ray is longer than the head, well ossified and only the tip is flexible; the anal fin has 3 unbranched and 5-6 branched rays (Ref. 96964). It has 29-38 scales in the lateral line, 4.5-5.5 scales above the lateral line, 3.5-5.5 scales below the lateral line and 12 scales around the caudal peduncle; the scales are shield-shaped and have numerous parallel radii (Ref. 96964). The pharyngeal teeth count is -5.3.2; the pharyngeal teeth are hooked at the tip (Ref. 96964). There are 11-13 gill rakers on the lower limb and 3-5 gill rakers on the upper limb of the first gill arch (Ref. 96964).

Colouration: Specimens preserved in ethanol have a dark brown dorsum; flanks and belly are yellow-brown (Ref. 96964).