Distinguishable from other Japanese striated spined loaches by the following characteristics: body size small, the mature size about 35-45 mm SL in males, 40-50 mm SL in females; lamina circularis at the base of the pectoral fin of adult male roundish plate, somewhat narrowing toward the outer part; upper segments of the first branched soft ray of pectoral fin narrow and weak; PMN commonly 12; snout short; line L1 consisting of a series of 15-25 blotches; line L2 formed by sparse angular blotches, reaching to pre- or middorsal region, often fused with L1; line L3 formed by a longitudinal line, reaching to caudal base, fused with L1 and L4 on postdorsal body; line L5 organized in 10-16 blotches in non-spawning season; caudal and dorsal fin with thin 3-4 arcuate bars; upper spot at the caudal base black, smaller than eye diameter; lower spot at caudal base faint; spots not connected; egg yolk diameter approximately 0.8 mm; karyotype diploid (2n = 50) (Ref. 92393).