Diagnosed from other species of Barbus and Luciobarbus in Balkan Peninsula by the following characters: dorsal profile of snout distinctly concave in large individuals; last simple dorsal ray spinous, weakly serrated posteriorly, serrae restricted to about median half of ray; lateral line with 50-54 + 3 scales; body covered by small, weakly marked black spots; and lower lip thick, fleshy, with a median lobe (Ref. 59043).