This species is distinguished from its congeners by a set of characters, none of which are unique to the species: from D. turdakovi by possessing 84-86 lateral-line pores (vs. 100), a smaller dorsal fin depth 13.1-16.6% SL (vs. 17.7% SL) and a smaller anal fin depth 12.7-16.6% SL (vs. 16.9% SL), a deeper caudal peduncle 4.9-6.0% SL (vs. 4.4% SL), a wider interorbital distance 27.8-35.2% HL (vs. 24.5% HL), a shorter postorbital length 43.9-49.6% HL (vs. 51.3% HL), light-yellow abdominal area (vs. dark yellow), and a rounded snout (vs. pointed); from D. ilan by having 11 infraorbital pores (vs. 9), 7 pores in the preoperculomandibular canal (vs. 5), a straight or slightly concave lower margin of the anal fin (vs. slightly convex), and lower number of vertebrae 43-44 vertebrae (vs. 46); from D. amudarjensis by having a coarse vermiculate pattern of pale-yellowish lines on a dark-grey or brown background (vs. overall colorations plain brownish without pattern), often with a yellowish mid-lateral stripe on the caudal peduncle and the flank behind the vertical of the dorsal-fin origin (vs. absence), 84-86 lateral-line pores (vs. 90-95), caudal peduncle depth 3.5-4.5 times its length (vs. 4.8-6.0), and 43-44 vertebrae (vs. 45-47) (Ref. 133162).