
#7 THE ZEBRAFISH – Danio rerio
What’s striped and can regenerate its skin, heart and brain? Dubbed the ‘underwater lab rat,’ zebrafish Danio rerio has come a long way from its native home, the Ganges. Zebrafish live in tropical freshwater and are both popular pets and model organisms, valued the world over for their hardy nature and regenerative abilities. Like most model organisms there is a spectacular array of mutant varieties available, including a recently-developed zebrafish mutant whose brain activity can be visualized in real-time by tracking its fluorescent glow.