Distinctive characters : Body short to moderately elongate, deep, compressed. Abdomen rounded. Head short. Snout obtuse, conical or pointed, eyes moderate to large, dorso-lateral, not visible from below ventral surface. Lips thin covering the jaws, may have leathery lobes, but without any horny covering. Jaws simple, covered by lips, pharyngeal teeth 5 or 4, 3 or 4, 2 or 3/3, or 2, 3 or 4, 4 or 5. without any knob or tubercle at the symphysis.. Barbels four, two or none. Dorsal fin short, inserted nearly opposite pelvic fins, with 9-13 rays (seven to nine branched) with or without a spine. Anal fin short with seven to nine rays (five or six branched). Caudal fin forked. Scales small, moderate or large, with few and strongly divergent striae. Lateral line complete or incomplete, with 20-47 scales.

Distribution: Throughout India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Malay Archipelago. Also found in Southern continental China and adjunct islands and Africa.