Complete lateral line, infraorbital process well developed. Distinguished from all other Danio species by its unique color pattern, having a dark stripe somewhat weakly pigmented anterior to vertical from dorsal-fin origin, getting thicker and darker posteriorly, and ending at the base of caudal fin. The most similar species, D. chrysotaeniatus, lacks the infraorbital process, has three rows of pharyngeal teeth, and has the P stripe extending to the end of the caudal-fin rays. Unlike all other striped Danio species so far examined for this character, D. laoensis has only two instead of three or four rows of pharyngeal teeth (Ref. 37788). With 8-9 1/2 branched dorsal rays and 12-14 1/2 branched anal rays (Ref. 43281).