Differs from other species of Rasbora by the combination of the following characters: the black midlateral stripe extending from the midhumeral region with a relatively uniform width and lacking the subdorsal blotch; the prominent acutely triangular basicaudal blotch; and the oval supra-anal pigmentation. Can be further diagnosed from the three other species of the Sumatrana group in northern Sumatra (Rasbora arundinata, R. haru, and R. bindumatoga) in having 26-27 + 3-4 lateral-line scales (vs. 24-25 + 4), 13 gill rakers on the first gill arch (vs. 10-12), 34 vertebrae (vs. 32-33), a relatively narrow body with a mean of 24.1% SL (vs. 26.3-29.7%), and a relatively narrow caudal peduncle with a mean of 11.9% SL (vs. 13.9-14.9%) (Ref. 94947).

Description: Dorsal-fin rays i, 7½; anal-fin rays ii, 5½; pectoral-fin rays i, 11-13; pelvic-fin rays i, 8 (Ref. 94947).