This species is distinguished from congeners present in Iran by the following characters: marbled colour pattern of the body without distinct bars on the flank (vs. vertical bars in all congeners except P. turcmenica); body thin and elongated (vs. stout in P. cristata, P. bampurensis, P. ilamensis, P. nielseni); no dorsal adipose keel (vs. presence of a deep dorsal adipose keel with procurrent rays in P. cristata); incomplete lateral line extending to the dorsal-fin base (vs. complete and reaching to caudal-fin base in P. cristata; lateral line usually reaching beyond dorsal fin base in P. hormuzensis, P. bampurensis); scattered scales on body (vs. completely scaleless in P. kessleri, P. turcmenica; none on predorsal flank in P. abdolii); snout blunt (vs. pointed in P. hormuzensis, P. bampurensis); suborbital groove in males (vs. without suborbital flap or groove in P. naumanni, P. aredvii; suborbital flap in P. bampurensis, P. hormuzensis, P. susiani, P. ilamensis) (Ref. 106249).