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Updated: Jan 30, 2026
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A Time Differential Staining Technique Coupled with Full Bilateral Gill Denervation to Study Ionocytes in Fish
Published on: March 19, 2015
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Gill remodelling during terrestrial acclimation in the amphibious fish Polypterus senegalus
Andy J Turko1, Priyam Maini2, Patricia A Wright1
1Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Journal of Morphology
|February 2, 2019
Summary
Amphibious fish Polypterus senegalus adapt to land by altering gill structure. While short-term changes add support, long-term acclimation reduces gill tissue investment, mirroring evolutionary trends.
Area of Science:
- Comparative physiology
- Evolutionary biology
- Functional morphology
Background:
- Amphibious fishes face challenges supporting delicate gill structures out of water.
- The 'structural support' hypothesis proposes plastic changes in gills for terrestrial life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if Polypterus senegalus exhibits plastic gill changes for mechanical support on land.
- To investigate short-term (7 days) and long-term (8 months) terrestrial acclimation effects on gill structure and mechanics.
Main Methods:
- Phenotypic plasticity analysis of gill lamellae, filaments, and arches in Polypterus senegalus.
- Assessment of mechanical properties and collagen composition of gill structures.
- Histological examination of gill remodelling, including inter-lamellar cell mass and bone mineralization.
Main Results:
- Terrestrial exposure led to enlarged inter-lamellar cell mass in gills, potentially aiding support and reducing water loss.
- No immediate changes in mechanical properties or collagen of filaments/arches after 7 days.
- Long-term acclimation (8 months) resulted in reduced gill arch length and decreased mineralized bone volume.
Conclusions:
- Polypterus senegalus demonstrates gill plasticity, with initial support enhancement followed by reduced tissue investment on land.
- These findings suggest gill plasticity may have played a role in the evolutionary transition to land by tetrapods.
- The observed gill remodelling parallels evolutionary gill reduction in terrestrial vertebrates.
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