This species is distinguished from all its congeners by having a longitudinal black band extending from the anteriormost tip of the snout across the eye along the lateral line to the caudal-fin base (vs. absent); differs from S. parvus in the number of lateral-line pored scales 37-38 (vs. 34-36); barbels at the corners of the mouth absent (vs. present); yellowish stripe above the lateral black band on the flank absent (vs. present); differs from S. caobangensis in having a lower lip with two shorter (vs. longer) lateral lobes restricted only to the side of the lower jaw with a well-developed horny sheath on its tip (vs. extending anteromedially to end immediately posterior to a weakly-developed or flexible horny sheath on the tip of the lower jaw); a stout caudal peduncle, depth in its length 1.3-1.6 (vs. 1.8-2.1, according to its original description of S. caobangensis), and a gray-white (vs. black) dorsal fin without black spots along its base (vs. present) (Ref. 125111).