Danio is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Danionidae 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—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 genus Danio have now been reclassified into the genus Devario. Also, Brachydanio is now a junior synonym of Danio.
Species
These are the currently recognized species in this genus:
- Danio absconditus <small>Kullander & Britz, 2015</small> (Black-barred danio)
- Danio aesculapii <small>Kullander & F. Fang, 2009</small> (Panther danio)
- Danio albolineatus <small>(Blyth, 1860)</small> (Pearl danio)
- Danio annulosus <small>Kullander, Rahman, Norén & Mollah, 2015</small>
- Danio assamila <small>Kullander, 2015</small>
- Danio catenatus <small>Kullander, 2015</small>
- Danio choprae <small>Hora, 1928</small> (Glowlight danio)
- Danio concatenatus <small>Kullander, 2015</small>
- Danio dangila <small>(Hamilton, 1822)</small>
- Danio dichromatus <small>Britz & Kullander, 2024</small>
- Danio erythromicron <small>(Annandale, 1918)</small>
- Danio feegradei <small>Hora, 1937</small> (Yoma danio)
- Danio flagrans <small>Kullander, 2012</small>
- Danio htamanthinus <small>Kullander & Norén, 2016</small>
- Danio jaintianensis <small>(N. Sen, 2007)</small>
- Danio kerri <small>H. M. Smith, 1931</small> (Blue danio)
- Danio kyathit <small>F. Fang, 1998</small>
- Danio margaritatus <small>(Roberts, 2007)</small>
- Danio meghalayensis <small>Sen & S. C. Dey, 1985</small> (Meghalaya danio)
- Danio nigrofasciatus (Day, 1870) (Spotted danio)
- Danio pulcher <small>H. M. Smith, 1931</small>
- Danio quagga <small>Kullander, T. Y. Liao & F. Fang, 2009</small>
- Danio rerio <small>(Hamilton, 1822)</small> (Zebrafish)
- Danio roseus <small>F. Fang & Kottelat, 2000</small> (Rose danio)
- Danio sysphigmatus <small>Kullander, 2015</small>
- Danio tinwini <small>Kullander & F. Fang, 2009</small>
- Danio tweediei <small>Brittan, 1956</small>
References