Danionella translucida
Encyclopedia
Danionella translucida is an extremely small (1.1 cm long) species of cyprinid
fish endemic to Myanmar
. When described, it was considered to be the smallest freshwater vertebrate. It was collected from the roots of floating aquatic plants in a slow-flowing, shallow stream (maximum depth 1 m) in the Pegu Division
of Myanmar
. It was found alongside Danio
, Microrasbora
, Erethistes
, and Oryzias
species. Observed in life, D. translucida is almost perfectly transparent except for its eyes. It has a distinctive pattern of melanophores. There are no melanophores on the dorsal surface except on the head over the posterior part of the brain. On the posterior half of the body, there a few melanophores following the horizontal midline. The sides and underside of the abdomen have melanophores. A double row of melanophores is present on the underside of the fish from the isthmus of the gills to the pelvic fins. Eggs in D. translucida has been found to range in size from about .3–.6 mm (.011–.024 in) in diameter, with ripe eggs being at least .5 mm (.019 in) in diameter. Females carried anywhere from 3 to 8 or 10 eggs. Compared to the body of the fish, these eggs are relatively large.
Cyprinid
The family Cyprinidae, from the Ancient Greek kyprînos , consists of the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives . Commonly called the carp family or the minnow family, its members are also known as cyprinids...
fish endemic to Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. When described, it was considered to be the smallest freshwater vertebrate. It was collected from the roots of floating aquatic plants in a slow-flowing, shallow stream (maximum depth 1 m) in the Pegu Division
Bago Division
Bago Region is an administrative region of Burma, located in the southern central part of the country. It is bordered by Magway Region and Mandalay Region to the north; Kayin State, Mon State and the Gulf of Martaban to the east; Yangon Region to the south and Ayeyarwady Region and Rakhine State...
of Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. It was found alongside Danio
Danio
The Danio genus comprises many of the species of danionins familiar to aquarists. The common name "danio" is used for members of the genera Danio and Devario.-Taxonomy:...
, Microrasbora
Microrasbora
Microrasbora is a genus of small fishes. The generic name means "small Rasbora", however these are more closely related to the danios than rasboras. They inhabit mainly Thailand and Myanmar, with one putative species in China.-Current Taxonomy:...
, Erethistes
Erethistes
Erethistes is a genus of catfishes of the family Erethistidae. With the inclusion of the synonyms Hara and Laguvia, this genus includes seven species, E. filamentosus, E. hara, E. horai, E. jerdoni, E. maesotensis, E. pusillus, and E...
, and Oryzias
Oryzias
Oryzias is a genus of fish in the Adrianichthyidae family.It contains the following species:* Oryzias latipes * Oryzias bonneorum Parenti, 2008* Oryzias carnaticus...
species. Observed in life, D. translucida is almost perfectly transparent except for its eyes. It has a distinctive pattern of melanophores. There are no melanophores on the dorsal surface except on the head over the posterior part of the brain. On the posterior half of the body, there a few melanophores following the horizontal midline. The sides and underside of the abdomen have melanophores. A double row of melanophores is present on the underside of the fish from the isthmus of the gills to the pelvic fins. Eggs in D. translucida has been found to range in size from about .3–.6 mm (.011–.024 in) in diameter, with ripe eggs being at least .5 mm (.019 in) in diameter. Females carried anywhere from 3 to 8 or 10 eggs. Compared to the body of the fish, these eggs are relatively large.