The adaptation appears to help the fish cope with high temperatures, since individuals and breeding pairs that shrank improved their survival odds

Clownfish, a small orange and white species made famous by the “Finding Nemo” movies, have been found to shrink in order to boost their chances of surviving marine heat waves, according to a new study.

Clownfish like Amphiprion ocellaris (pictured in in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea) are known to make their homes amid the tentacles of sea anemones. A new study suggests that another species of clownfish (Amphiprion percula) may be shrinking to survive ocean heat waves.