This species is distinguished from all congeners in the Black Sea basin by having the anal-fin origin in front of the vertical through the second dorsal-fin origin and by the combination of the following non-unique characters: body with three dark blotches; often dark spot on back just in front of second dorsal fin; tubercles relatively small so that tubercles and granules on head not clearly different in size; first semicircle blotch narrow, not extending origin of second dorsal fin; absence of granules on caudal peduncle; lm rows of neuromasts 15-21, commonly 17-18; second dorsal-fin segmented rays commonly 7½ -8½ (Ref. 58669).

Description: first dorsal fin with 3 or, more often, 4 spines, second dorsal fin with 6½ -9-½ segmented rays; anal fin with 7½ -9½ segmented rays (Ref. 58669).