Oxynoemacheilus cilicicus is distinguished from other species of the O. galilaeus species group by the following set of characters, none of which unique to the species. It differs from O. ceyhanensis, which is also found in the Ceyhan, by the incomplete lateral line terminating anterior to the dorsal-fin origin or below the dorsal-fin base (vs. complete); deeper caudal peduncle, its depth 1.0-1.4 times in its length (vs. 1.4-1.6); deeper body, 20-24% SL (vs. 18-20); shorter head, its length 22-25% SL (vs. 25-27).

It differs from O. galilaeus, O. panthera, O. leontinae by having a deeply emarginate caudal fin (vs. slightly emarginate or truncate); flank and back posterior to the dorsal fin base covered by scales (vs. very few isolated ones on caudal peduncle, none in O. galilaeus); a series of regularly or irregularly-shaped flank bars (vs. irregularly-marbled or mottled in O. Galilaeus, O. panthera); usually with one, rarely two, central pores in the supratemporal canal (vs. central pore usually absent in O. panthera).

It differs from O. namiri by having a shorter lateral line, usually terminating anterior to the dorsal-fin origin or slightly posterior to the dorsal-fin base (vs. lateral line terminating posterior to the dorsal-fin base, at the caudal-fin base in some individuals); deeper body, depth at dorsal-fin origin 20-24% SL (vs. 16-20); deeply emarginate caudal-fin with middle ray 1.3-1.5 times in the length of the longest unbranched ray in the upper caudal-fin lobe (vs. slightly forked, 1.2-1.3); flank bars narrower than interspaces in most individuals, rarely as wide as interspaces (vs. wider than interspaces) (Ref. 124017).