Distinguished from all other species of nemacheilines in Indochinese area by its color pattern consisting of a light background with 14-18 dark blotches along sides and 12-17 dark saddles along the back, a black spot at posterior extremity of lateral line and a black spot on anterior dorsal rays at about one fourth of ray length. From the closely related N. pallidus, it is distinguished by a slender body (body depth 12.6-17.6% SL versus 14.8-19.1), eye situated more on the top of head (interorbital width 4.9-6.8% SL, versus 5.7-8.0; and darker and wider markings (spots and saddles usually wider than interspaces, versus thinner).