| Main Ref. | Keith, P. and J. Allardi (coords.), 2001 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks | Males possess nuptial tubercles on head and body (Ref. 59043). |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
The only species of the genus which can be diagnosed from other species of Ballerus, Blicca and Vimba by the following characters: mouth sub-inferior, which can be extended as a tube; lateral line with 51-60 scales; anal fin with 30½ branched rays; eye diameter about 2/3 of snout length in individuals larger than 10 cm SL; pharyngeal teeth 5-5; and base of paired fins hyaline or grey (Ref. 59043). Caudal fin with 19 rays (Ref. 2196). Tall, laterally compressed body. Fins darker in adults. Anal fin base twice as long as the dorsal fin (Ref. 35388). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 50 - 60 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 10 - 15 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 6 - 8 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 21 - 23 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 43 - 45 |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 10 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 23 - 30 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 15 - 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 2 | |
| Soft-rays 8 - 9 |