Anterior section of body wide and slightly depressed, posterior section nearly cylindraceous and caudal peduncle slender; head large and depressed; mouth large, inferior and arciform; barbells 3 pairs, rostral on 2 pairs and comparatively short, maxillary 1 pair; eyes small; body naked but knobbles scattered in form of short-stripes or papilla over skin; lateral lines straight. Dorsal fin located in center of body and opposite to ventral fin; pectoral fin spread widely; caudal fin emarginated and upper lobe slightly longer. Body color yellowish brown, with dark brown circles and cloudy patterns on back and sides, light yellow on abdomen and spots on fins

The species is a kind of fish that lives in plateau rivers at hight elevation above sea level. The fish is more numerous at the upper mouths of the dependent lakes. It usually like to dive to the gravel bottoms of deep and swift currents of the sections of the main stream of the large and small tributaries, or rest in slow currents and waters with alluvial silt and thick aquatic plants to live a river bottom life. The fish spawns from July to August and is carnivorous. The adult fish catch other kinds of fish for food and the fries eat the larva of aquatic insects. The fish is the largest one of the various kinds of loaches and may grow as large as 1.5kg.

Up reaches of Huanghe Riv.