P. hodgarti inhabits the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and China.

It has also been listed from Abor Hills, Meghalaya, Darjeeling, Kali River, Teesta valley and Nepal.

[1] P. hodgarti is diagnosed by having no post-labial groove (unlike other members of Glyptosternina), gill openings not extending to the underside, homodont dentition, pointed teeth in both jaws, tooth patches joined into a crescent-shaped band in upper jaw, and 13–16 branched pectoral fin rays.

The gill openings are narrow, not extending below the pectoral fin base.

The paired fins are plaited to form an adhesive apparatus.