{
  "abstract": "Resting metabolic rate, the basal energy required for an organism's maintenance, is central to predicting the eco-evolutionary consequences of environmental and anthropogenic pressures on marine ectotherms. Yet, direct measurements remain extremely scarce, covering less than 1% of marine fish species. Building on the Pace Of Life Syndrome (POLS) hypothesis, which posits a positive correlation between metabolism and life-history speed, we inferred temperature- and mass-specific resting metabolic rate for 18,214 fish species (16,998 Teleostei and 1,216 Elasmobranchii). Estimates were derived from relationships with 15 functional traits and phylogeny using phylogenetic structural equation modelling, a novel approach combining phylogenetic comparative methods with structural equation models. Cross-validations indicated high predictive performance, although some clades require cautious interpretation due to limited empirical data. In line with expectations from life-history theory, ecological niche and morphology, species with the highest metabolic rates were small, narrow, shallow-bodied, and long-jawed pelagic fish with high mortality, short lifespan and rapid growth - traits typical of small epipelagics. The metabolic rate variation aligned with the slow-fast life-history continuum, supporting the POLS hypothesis, but was equally explained by reproductive strategy: highly fecund, fast species exhibited the highest metabolic rate independent of mass and temperature, whereas low-fecundity slow species had the lowest. By filling a critical physiological data gap, our dataset provides a foundation to test long-standing ecological and evolutionary hypotheses such as POLS, and offers a powerful resource to improve models of species and community responses to climate change and exploitation, ultimately supporting physiology-informed ecosystem management.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement"
  ],
  "article_type": "Confirmatory results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "M. Beneat"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Morell"
    },
    {
      "name": "F. Moullec"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Barrier"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y.-J. Shin"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Ernande"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a07e3y2zgv5sz.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.28.755002",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.28.755002v1.full",
  "id": "a07e3y2zgv5sz",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.28.755002v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "ecology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2303|Physiological and biochemical adaptations"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214733881",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.28.755002v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-28",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a07e3y2zgv5sz.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:08Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.28.755002",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.28.755002v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:ecology",
      "subfield": "ecology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Filling a metabolism data gap in marine fish reveals dual pace-of-life and reproductive strategy axes",
  "title_text": "Filling a metabolism data gap in marine fish reveals dual pace-of-life and reproductive strategy axes",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:08Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a07e3y2zgv5sz",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}