Danio is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae found in South and Southeast Asia, commonly kept in aquaria. They are generally characterised by a pattern of horizontal stripes, rows of spots or vertical bars. Some species have two pairs of long barbels. Species of this genus consume various small aquatic insects, crustaceans and worms.
Taxonomy
The name "danio" comes from the Bangla name dhani, meaning "of the rice field". Danio was described in the early 19th century by Francis Hamilton. Two of the species included by him in the genus, still remain valid â€" D. dangila and D. rerio. About a century later (1916) and with many more species described in the meantime, the genus was split; the larger species into Danio and the smaller species into the genus Brachydanio. In 1991, though, the two genera were recombined; most larger species formerly within the Danio genus have now been reclassified into the genus Devario. Also, Brachydanio is now a junior synonym of Danio.
Species
There are currently 27 recognized species in this genus:
- Danio absconditus S. O. Kullander & Britz, 2015 (Black-barred danio)
- Danio aesculapii S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2009 (Panther danio)
- Danio albolineatus (Blyth, 1860) (Pearl danio)
- Danio annulosus S. O. Kullander, Rahman, Norén & Mollah, 2015
- Danio assamila S. O. Kullander, 2015
- Danio catenatus S. O. Kullander, 2015
- Danio choprae Hora, 1928 (Glowlight danio)
- Danio concatenatus S. O. Kullander, 2015
- Danio dangila (F. Hamilton, 1822) (Moustached danio)
- Danio erythromicron (Annandale, 1918) (Emerald dwarf rasbora)
- Danio feegradei Hora, 1937 (Yoma danio)
- Danio flagrans S. O. Kullander, 2012
- Danio htamanthinus S. O. Kullander & Norén, 2016
- Danio jaintianensis (N. Sen, 2007)
- Danio kerri H. M. Smith, 1931 (Blue danio)
- Danio kyathit F. Fang, 1998
- Danio margaritatus (T. R. Roberts, 2007) (Galaxy rasbora or celestial pearl danio)
- Danio meghalayensis N. Sen & S. C. Dey, 1985 (Meghalaya danio)
- Danio muongthanhensis Nguyen, 2001
- Danio nigrofasciatus (F. Day, 1870) (Spotted danio or dwarf danio)
- Danio quagga S. O. Kullander, T. Y. Liao & F. Fang, 2009
- Danio quangbinhensis Nguyen, Le & Nguyen, 1999
- Danio rerio (F. Hamilton, 1822) (Zebra danio or zebrafish)
- Danio roseus F. Fang & Kottelat, 2000 (Rose danio)
- Danio sysphigmatus S. O. Kullander, 2015
- Danio tinwini S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2009 (Gold-ring danio)
- Danio trangi Ngo, 2003
References
