endemic species of Puntius as well as one more undescribed species of Danio, and one undescribed species of
Devario.
Danio aesculapii is the eighth species of the genus described from Myanmar. The others are D. choprae
and D. kyathit from the upper Ayeyarwaddy drainage, D. albolineatus from the Sittoung, Thanlwin, and
Ayeyarwaddy drainages, D. nigrofasciatus from the Sittoung drainage, D. erythromicron and D. margaritatus
from Inle Lake and He Ho plains, respectively, and D. feegradei from near Thandwe. With the exception of
the ubiquitous and abundant D. albolineatus, and the reservation that Myanmar is still not extensively
surveyed ichthyologically, these species have restricted, well circumscribed distributions.
The general colour pattern of D. aesculapii is similar to that of D. choprae from the upper Ayeyarwaddy
drainage. In that species, there are 6–8 short vertical bars, shorter posteriorly and grading into a series of small
spots or short horizontal stripe on the caudal peduncle, representing the P stripe. The P+1 stripe is indistinct in
D. choprae, but the P+2 stripe is distinct and the two merge dorsally on the caudal peduncle. The caudal-fin
stripes characterizing Danio species (Fang 1998: fig. 5) are absent in D. aesculapii, but present in D. choprae.
Danio choprae has a distinct A stripe, like in D. aesculapii, and the distal part of the fin is hyaline, but unlike
in D. aesculapii, the basal part proximal to the A stripe is grayish in D. choprae. Danio choprae also has
shorter maxillary barbels, not reaching to the pectoral fin, and 10 circumpeduncular scale rows, vs. 12 in D.
aesculapii.