Fahlman, AndreasLoring, StephenFerrigno, MassimoMoore, ColbyEarly, GregNiemeyer, MistyLentell, BettyWenzel, FredericJoy, RuthMoore, Michael J.2022-03-242022-03-242011-11-15Fahlman, A., Loring, S.H., Ferrigno, M., Moore, C., Early, G., Niemeyer, M., Lentell, B., Wenzel, F., Joy, R. and Moore, M.J., 2011. Static inflation and deflation pressure–volume curves from excised lungs of marine mammals. Journal of Experimental Biology, 214(22), pp.3822-3828.https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90323Excised lungs from eight marine mammal species [harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), gray seal (Halichoerus grypush), Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)] were used to determine the minimum air volume of the relaxed lung (MAV, N=15), the elastic properties (pressure–volume curves, N=24) of the respiratory system and the total lung capacity (TLC). Our data indicate that mass-specific TLC (sTLC, l kg–1) does not differ between species or groups (odontocete vs phocid) and agree with that estimated (TLCest) from body mass (Mb) by applying the equation: TLCest=0.135 Mb0.92. Measured MAV was on average 7% of TLC, with a range from 0 to 16%. The pressure–volume curves were similar among species on inflation but diverged during deflation in phocids in comparison with odontocetes. These differences provide a structural basis for observed species differences in the depth at which lungs collapse and gas exchange ceases.en-USlung mechanicstotal lung capacityminimum air volumeexcised lungdiving physiologyArticlehttps://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.056366