Shortening of gill filaments has many different infectious and non infectious causes . The genetic disorders could be a real cause of gill deformity in general including shortening. Thermal shock and strong water current at the very young ages of life could be another possible causes. Henniguya myxopsoridial infection is one of the infectious causes. Further, chronic ammonia toxicity (Environmental gill diseases) is a possible cause of shortening and clubbing of gills filaments . Many other chronic infectious and chronic environmental pollutants could be vulnerable causes of such disorders.
the absence of vitamin C may enhance the effects of stressors mentioned by Alaa Eldin Eissa. Note that compensatory defense mechanisms may,
however, compromising the gill function,
depending on the process severity.
Gill lamellar structure is very dynamic and is known to change even within a time scale of few hours. Any stressor, such as exposure to metals or environmental pollutants, that would need a gill to reduce the surface area of absorption can cause the gills filaments to shorten. Parasitic infections like the one mentioned by Alaa Eldin Eissa would also cause gills to shorten. Basically, shortening of gill filaments is just an adaptive response to reduce uptake of toxins or to prevent their diffusion across the gills. I believe that gills will also shorten to prevent efflux of ions though not much research has been conducted on this aspect.
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