How Hot is too Hot? Metabolic Responses to Temperature Across Life Stages of a Small Ectotherm.

This article focuses on the physiological thermal sensitivity and metabolic responses of the temperate pseudoscorpion species *Dactylochelifer silvestris* to understand its vulnerability to global warming. Using respirometry with a temperature ramping protocol, the study found that *D. silvestris* exhibits a notably low metabolic rate compared to similarly sized arthropods, with metabolic rate increasing with body size but showing a low metabolic scaling exponent (0.19). The species demonstrated high thermal tolerance, with peak metabolic rates (TMetMax) occurring above 44°C and critical thermal maxima (CTMax) averaging around 48°C, consistent across life stages and sexes. These findings suggest that *D. silvestris* may endure elevated temperatures associated with climate change, although the ecological and adaptive significance of its low metabolic rate and high heat tolerance require further investigation.