Climate change could cause local extinctions of chocolate dipped damselfish that are highly specialised to the conditions on their home reef.
Wave energy helps shape patterns of ocean biodiversity, and with changes in the number of storms and cyclones we are likely to see major changes in the wave energy impacting places like the Great Barrier Reef.
Researchers found that while the fish thrived in reefs that experience high wave energy, on reefs that experience lower wave energy fish of the exact same species have totally different fin shapes and slower swimming abilities to match their calm home waters.
The fish may be threatened by an inability to re-adapt fast enough to meet the challenges of rapid climate change.
Read more at Australian National University