Diagnosed from all other congeners in Anatolia and the northern Levant by the combination of the following characters: incomplete lateral line, reaching from vertical of tip of pectoral fin to vertical of anal-fin origin, perforating 12-31 scales; 54-64 + 2-3 scales in lateral series; 13½ -16½ scales between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin; pelvic-fin origin slightly in front fo dorsal-fin origin; pelvic fin short, not reaching anus; pelvic axillary lobe absent; no keel between posterior pelvic-fin base and anus; prominent epidermal black stripe from eye to caudal-fin base in live and preserved individuals; snout rounded; mouth terminal; head length 26-30% SL; and predorsal length 56-61% SL (Ref. 83419).

Description: dorsal fin with 3 simple and 7½ branched rays; anal fin with 3 simple and 6½ or 7½ branched rays; pectoral fin with 14-15 branched rays; pelvic fin with 8-9 branched rays (Ref. 83419).