Gobio artvinicus is distinguished from all its congeners in Anatolia and adjacent areas by having the following combination of characters: scales on belly equal or greater than pupil; head length 24-26% SL, 1.1-1.3 times body depth; snout pointed; slightly shorter than postorbital distance (postorbital distance 1.0-1.2 times snout length); width of mouth gape 1.0-1.4 times its length; preanal length 68-72% SL; prepelvic length 47.0-51.0% SL; caudal peduncle length 2.0-2.5 times its depth; distance between pelvic-fin origin and anal-fin origin 2.8-3.3 times distance between anus and anal-fin origin; length of caudal-fin lobes not equal, upper lobe commonly longer than lower lobe; lateral line with 38-40 + 1-2 scales; scales rows between lateral line and dorsal

fin origin 6; scales between lateral line and anal fin origin 4-5; scales between anus and anal fin origin 4-6; scales between posterior extremity of pelvic fin base and anus 5-6; and 7-8 mid-lateral blotches (Ref. 115536).