Danio margaritatus than the flanks and also standing out. A female in reproductive age can be recognized by a black anal spot which separates the belly color from the uniformly reddish base of the anal fin. The male has a small black pad at the edges of the lower jaw, which is absent or reduced in females. Immature fish show some indication of a striped pattern, which eventually decomposes into the pearly dots. Initially, the celestial pearl danio was assumed to be a member of the genus "Microrasbora", due to its similarity to ""Microrasbora" erythromicron". Less than a year after the discovery
Danio margaritatus with a markedly blunt snout, measuring just 2–2.5 cm standard length. The body is about three times as long as it is high. In general shape, it resembles "Danio erythromicron" more than any other known species. This species shows some sexual dimorphism: males have a bright-blue background color (dull blue-green in females), and their fins are more brightly colored. The tail end of their bodies (the caudal peduncle) is also higher than in females. The body is sprinkled with small, pearly dots. The back is bronzy green, and the belly in females is yellowish-white. The gill covers are transparent, letting