Do respiratory metabolic rates of the scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita scale isometrically throughout ontogeny in a sexual generation?

We measured the respiration rate of Aurelia aurita payingspecial attention to the relationship between its metabolic ratesand body mass throughout ontogeny of the jellyfish in a sexualgeneration. Two different regression lines between respirationrates and body dry weight were obtained in ephyra to young medusa(bell diameter 4.2-19 mm, 0.07-14 mg dry weight) and medusa(BD17-120 mm, 12-2100 mg DW), at respective temperatures of 10 and15 °C. The cut off point of the metabolic rates was foundat the developmental stage just being metamorphosed into medusashape (BD 12-20 mm). The slope value of medusa respiration ratewas close to isometric scaling (0.9), whereas that of ephyra toyoung medusa was lower (0.6). Ecological implications of allometricscaling in the early developmental stages of ephyrae and metephyraeare discussed.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]