Color yellowish to olive-grey with numerousregular dark-brown to black spots. Belly and lower headsurface white. Iris silvery to dark with a narrow silvergoldenring. Peritoneum light brown with dense butspaced melanophores. Mouth with moderate to thick tuberculatedlips. Median lobe of lower lip not developed.Barbels thick, anterior one not extending past the nostrillevel and posterior one reaching or exceeding the preoperclelevel. Pelvic axillary scale present. Gill rakersshort. Pharyngeal teeth slightly serrated. Last unbranchedray of dorsal fin well developed with high denticle density.Gut elongate with 2 anterior and 1 posterior loops.Females with shorter barbels and longer anal and ventralfins. Tubercles on head and lining margin of anterior belly,in males. Prefers sandy or stony and rich in benthosbottoms, and cool, rapid and well-oxygenated waters.Maximum age 5 years, total length 43 cm and weight550 g. Maturity at 2-3 years with 13-16 cm total length.Absolute fecundity up to 19,680 eggs of 2.3 mm in diameter.Spawning 2-3 times in a season, from the end ofApril to August at temperatures above 14°C. Food includeplants, crustaceans and insects.