Abstract
Oxygen consumption in the developmental larvae of the flounder Paralichthys olivaceus was measured by an improved water bottle method. Syringes were used as a volume variable respiration chamber. Significant differences were observed in mass specific oxygen consumption among the early morning measurement at 10-day intervals. The formula M=aWb was adopted, where M and W were metabolic rate and body mass. Two deflection points were detected in the metabolic exponent (b). Metabolic exponent for the larvae on the third phase was calculated to be 0.7135. Mass-specific metabolic rate (M/W) of the larvae on the first phase decreased withan increase of the body mass, however, there wa no evident relationship betweenthe morphological changes and metabolic rate.
