Fish shrink by some 10% during harsh winters

Fish can shrink during particularly harsh winters, according to researchers.

The scientists, based in Norway and Finland, discovered that juvenile brown trout reduced in length by as much as 1cm - a shrinkage of approximately 10%.

They say this could help the young fish to conserve energy when food is in short supply.

They describe, in the journal Functional Ecology, how the fishes' bodies "shortened".

This rare phenomenon has been seen before in some small mammals, including shrews, and in lizards.