Using 470 data from the literature the dry weight-specific respiration rates of gelatinous zooplankton (cnidarians, ctenophores and salps) and non-gelatinous zooplankton (mainly crustacea) were converted to carbon-specific values. The resulting carbon-specific respiration rates showed no significant differences between the two groups of zooplankton, indicating similar oxygen requirements per gram of carbon biomass. From this finding, it can be suggested that the differences in the rates of oxygen consumption measured in the two types of zooplankton in the sea can be explained by the carbon biomass ratio between gelatinous and non-gelatinous zooplankton. Furthermore, the low rate of metabolism of gelatinous species compared with that of non-gelatinous animals of the same volume can be attributed predominantly to the relatively low organic matter content in the former. It is recommended that all weight-specific metabolism rates be expressed using carbon as body mass unit (e.g. mg O2 gC−1 d−1) which enables more accurate comparisons between individuals exhibiting different dry weight/carbon ratios.