ɪnðə dʒˈɛnɚɹə ɡlˈɪptəθˌoːɹæks tɹˈaɪb ɡlˌɪptəθˌoːɹɐsˈiːni ænd sjˈuːdɪtʃˌɛneɪz tɹˈaɪb sjˈuːdɪtʃˌɛneɪdˌɪnə, ðə spˈiːsiːz hæv θoːɹˈæsɪk ɐdhˈiːsɪv ˌæpɚɹˈæɾəsᵻz tʊ ɐtˈætʃ tʊ ˈɑːbdʒɛkts ɪnðə stɹˈiːm bˈɛd; ɪn ɡlˈɪptəθˌoːɹæks, ɡɹˈuːvz ʌv ðɪs ˌæpɚɹˈæɾəs ɹˈʌn pˈæɹəlˌɛl ɔːɹ oʊblˈiːk tə ðɪ ˈæksɪs ʌvðə bˈɑːdi, wˌaɪl ɪn sjˈuːdɪtʃˌɛneɪz ɡɹˈuːvz ɹˈʌn tɹænsvˈɜːs tə ðɪ ˈæksɪs ʌvðə bˈɑːdi.
In the genera Glyptothorax (tribe Glyptothoracini) and Pseudecheneis (tribe Pseudecheneidina), the species have thoracic adhesive apparatuses to attach to objects in the stream bed; in Glyptothorax, grooves of this apparatus run parallel or oblique to the axis of the body, while in Pseudecheneis grooves run transverse to the axis of the body.