Back in 2005 we were able to import this pretty species from Burma for the first time. This appeared under the provisional trade name Danio sp. “Pantherinus” (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/danio-sp-pantherinus-_de_699.html). In 2009 the species was formally described as Danio aesculapii. It was named after the ancient Greek god of medicine, whose regalia were a stick with one or two snakes wrapped around it. The colour pattern of D. aesculapii is referred to as snakeskin pattern, thus the name. Am I allowed to give the weisenheimer? Thanks! The symbol of Aesculapius probably does not show snakes on a bar at all, but the Guinea worm wrapped on a stick. The Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) is a parasite of humans who infect themselves via drinking water containing infected small crustaceans. The male Guinea worm dies after mating,but the female lives on and builds up a boil with the size of a gidgeon’s egg in the skin. When this boil gets contact with water, the very thin skin in its center brakes off and the female Guinea worm protudes a part of its body to release larvae in the water. The up to one meter long but only 1.5 mm thick Guinea worm can be removed only by wrapping it about 10 cm per day (not more, otherwise there is danger of disruption and a heavy bacerial infection) on a stick. This disease is or was (it seems to be almost extinct nowadays) far spread in tropical Africa and Asia, but unknown in ancient Greece. So the symbol of the healer showing a stick wrapped with Guinea worm was mistaken as the bar with snakes. This should just be noted in the margin….
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
| Angaben zum Tier | |
|---|---|
| Herkunft | Burma |
| Verfügbare Größe in cm | 3-4 |
