Danio

Danio is a genus of small freshwater fish, family Danionidae, a family split from the traditional Cyprinidae under modern classification, comprising 34 currently recognized species, native to freshwater habitats of South and Southeast Asia. Members are generally patterned with horizontal stripes, rows of spots or vertical bars, some bearing two pairs of long barbels, and feed on small aquatic insects, crustaceans and worms. The genus was described by Francis Hamilton in 1822; the name derives from the Bengali word dhani, meaning of the rice field. The zebrafish, Danio rerio, one of the two species Hamilton originally described, is a globally important model organism in scientific research; other species include the celestial pearl danio, Danio margaritatus, and the glowlight danio, Danio choprae.