The Lepidosiren paradoxa species belongs to Dipnoi order, along with two genre and are considered true lungfishes. Adult males of L. paradoxa differ from females by the presence of filaments in the pelvic fin. These filaments resemble those found in gills of fish and neotenic salamanders. These filaments are grow and become vascularized during the reproduction period. In this work we tested the hypothesis that the pelvic filament of L. paradoxa share morphological and molecular characteristics with gill filaments. Thus, we performed morphological and molecular analyses of the filaments of the pelvic fins between the dry and rainy seasons. Morphological analysis was perfomed through hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, we quantified gene expression of gill markers by RT-PCR using pectoral fin as reference. The mean length and standard deviation of the filaments during rainy and dry season were 4,31mm of ± 0.186 and 1,63mm ± 0.104, respectively. In the SEM images, we observed with a few cell microvilli and/or microplicae and some smaller cells. In the HE analyzes we found that the filaments have uniform epithelium formed with four layers of cells being filled by connective tissue and finally become more vascularized the rainy season. Molecular analysis through RT-PCR did not show any change when compared to the pectoral fin and between the stations. In conclusion, despite morphological and molecular similarities between gill filaments and pelvic fin filaments, our findings do not support a role for L. paradoxa pelvic filaments in gas exchange.
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