The chiselmouth's body plan generally follows the standard cyprinid form, generally elongated and slightly compressed. The snout is very blunt, with the lower jaw's plate (which consists of cornified epithelium) jutting out slightly. Coloration is rather drab, dark brown above and lighter lower down. Many individuals also have a pattern of black dots, and younger fish may have a dark area at the base of the tail. The single dorsal fin has 10 soft rays, while the anal fin and well-developed pelvic fins each have 9-10 rays. Chiselmouths can reach a length of 30 cm (12 in)