Geographically S. plagiostomus spread in different rivers, and tributaries throughout Himalaya extending to confines of China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkistan, Nepal, Ladkah, Tibet, Bhutan and north-eastern India (Day, 1958).

The schizothoracine fishes provide a good material to study patterns of evolutionary modifications in terms of their biogeographic distribution.

The Genus Schizothorax (Heckel, 1838) is one of the most diversified and abundant group with 68 species around Central Asia, Himalayas, Pakistan, India and Tibetan Plateau.

Upper parts of River Panjkora especially Kumrat Valley (From Thal to Chukyatan) Schizothorax were one found very abundantly, but due to a massive viral outbreak in June, 2016, its populations reduced drastically.

In the almost similar appearance of schizothorancine fishes, S. plagiostomus can be separated by its short, deep cornified lower jaw, with a transverse or sometimes only slightly curved sharp cutting margin.