Finding Nemo is all wrong - because Nemo’s dad would have changed sex
In Finding Nemo, the little clownfish would have been in for a surprise when he made it back to find his Dad – because his Dad would have changed into a new Mum.
Female clownfish are larger and more aggressive than males – and ‘bereaved’ males change sex when their mate dies.
In the film, Nemo’s mother is eaten – and that would have triggered some pretty profound changes in Nemo’s father.
Clownfish live in tropical climates, and the males look after the eggs – while females are highly aggressive, and even attack intruding sharks.
Dr Suzanne Mills of the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes at Criobe, said: ‘The female is aggressive to predators and protects the anemone.
‘If that female gets predated upon or dies, the male, Nemo’s dad, then changes sex and becomes a reproductive female.
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‘So when Nemo finally gets back to his anemone at the end of the film, he’s actually meeting his Mum.