Malihkaia is diagnosed from all genera of nemacheilids by the unique morphology of the lips and the unique pectoral fin sexual dimorphism. Lips are characterized by the following traits: : thick, consting of numerous, closely set, deep furrows; upper lip with a small median notch, transverse furrows on its whole length, edge crenulated; lower lip with a median interruption, transverse furrows on its whole length, edge crenulated. Pectoral fin is strongly falcate in males, greatly elongated as a ‘wing’, rigid and curled, with the first branched ray the longest, and with all branches and sub-branches adjacent and absence of membranes between them. Other diagnostic characters include the following: presence of processus dentiformis; presence of suborbital flap present in males; dorsal fin with 8½ branched rays; caudal fin with 9+8 branched rays; presence of axillary pelvic lobe; anus situated about 1.5-2 eye diameter in front of anal fin; body entirely scaled; lateral line complete; air bladder without posterior chamber; body with 9-12 bars extending from dorsal midline to level of pectoral fin, bars of quite regular width and shape in front of dorsal fin, less regular posteriorly, much wider than interspaces; and black mark at caudal-fin base made of a more or less squarish blotch in middle of base, a more or less triangular blotch over dorsal procurrent rays, fainter pigments over base of uppermost and lowermost 4-6 principal rays of caudal fin (Ref. 116725).