Diagnosis: Arabibarbus hadhrami has 29-32 scales in the lateral line, the wedge-shaped head is longer, 27.8-32.5% of standard length, and higher, 15.5-18.4% of standard length, than in its congeners (Ref. 96964). The body is slender and laterally flattened; the dorsal fin is high, 26.5-32.4% of standard length, and well ossified; the pectoral fins, 19.9-23.9% of standard length, and pelvic fins, 16.8-19.9% of standard length, are longer than in its congeners (Ref. 96964).

Description: The body is slender and laterally flattened, a nuchal hump is absent or small; the head is wedge-shaped and elongate with a straight or slightly convex dorsal profile and a slightly convex or almost straight ventral profile; the head length is greater than the body depth (Ref. 96964). The mouth is sub-terminal with two pairs of well-developed barbels, which are usually longer than the eye diameter; a median lobe is present on the lower lip; in some specimens the lips are fleshy; the eyes are lateral in the anterior half of the head and slightly protuberant (Ref. 96964). The dorsal fin is high and has 4 unbranched and 7-9 branched rays; the last unbranched ray is about as long as the head, well ossified and only the tip is flexible; the anal fin has 3 unbranched and 5 branched rays; pectoral and pelvic fins are relatively long (Ref. 96964). It has 29-32 scales in the lateral line, 3.5-4.5 scales above the lateral line, 3.5-4.5 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 11-12 gill rakers on the lower limb and 4 gill rakers on the upper limb of the first gill arch (Ref. 96964).

Colouration: Fixed specimens are golden to brown, the dorsum has an orange hue and is darker than the side of the abdomen and the venter; the chromatophores are more concentrated at the margins of the scales, resulting in a diffuse reticulate colour pattern (Ref. 96964).