Relative growth of organs and parts of a marine teleost, the porgy, Pagrus major, with special reference to metabolism-size relationships

Organ-body mass relationships were examined for 36 different organs and parts in porgies, Pagrus major, ranging in body mass from 0.0033 to 1200 g. Organs with high metabolic activity, e.g. brain, intestine, pyloric caeca and heart showed negative allometry except during very early stages in the life history. On the other hand, the trunk, which comprised mainly musculature with low metabolic activity, showed positive allometry. These results support our idea that the decline in mass-specific metabolic rate in animals with increasing body mass can be explained, partly at least, by tissues with low metabolic rates becoming heavier in proportion to the whole body with growth.