Dear MARMAMers On behalf of my co-authors, I'm pleased to announce the publication of our article: Characterizing respiratory capacity in belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) Andreas Fahlman, A. Epple, A., Garcia-Parraga,D. Robeck,T. Haulena, M., Piscitelli-Doshkov, M., Brodsky, M. Respiraotry Physiology and Neurobiology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resp.2018.10.009 Abstract We measured respiratory flow, breath duration, and calculated tidal volume (VT) in nine belugas (Delphinapterus leucas, mean measured body mass: 628 +-151 kg, n=5) housed in managed care facilities. Both spontaneous (resting at station) and trained maximal respirations (chuffs) were measured. The mean (+-s.d.) inspiratory VT for spontaneous breaths (16.7 +- 4.7 l, range: 7.5-18.7 l) was larger than those predicted based on respiratory scaling equations from terrestrial mammals and was 32 +- 10% of estimated total lung capacity (TLCest) based on an equation from static measurements made on a range of cetaceans and pinniped lungs, and 52 +- 18% of estimated vital capacities (VC, mean: 27.7 +- 8.9 l, range: 16.7-40.3 l) based on respiratory measurements obtained during trained maximal respirations. Expiratory flow (Vexp, spontaneous: 26.1 Å} 5.5 l s−1, chuff: 66.8 +- 22.5 l s−1) was significantly higher as compared with inspiratory flow (Vinsp, spontaneous: 22.3 +- 4.6 l s−1, chuff: 30.1 Å} 8.4 l s−1), and the maximal expiratory flow recorded was 212 l s–1. The breath duration was shorter for forced breaths (Expiration: 518 +- 101 ms; Inspiration: 905 +- 170 ms; Total: 1423 +- 227 ms) as compared with spontaneous breaths (Expiration: 995 +- 176 ms; Inspiration: 1098 +- 219 ms; Total: 2093 +- 302 ms). These data provide baseline estimates of the respiratory capacity of belugas. The full pre-print article, is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resp.2018.10.009 For a pdf copy, please email afahlman@whoi.edu