Fig. 6: Phenotypic comparison of dsZfh1 and dsUbx BPHs.

a Morphology of short-winged (SW) BPHs microinjected with dsUbx. Fourth-instar SW-destined (Wt^SW) nymphs were used for microinjection with dsUbx. Small wing-like appendages (hindwings, arrow) protrude from the third thoracic (T3) segment of dsUbx-treated BPHs. Scale bars, 750 μm. b Morphology of long-winged (LW) BPHs microinjected with dsUbx, dsZfh1, and dsGfp. LW-destined (Wt^LW) nymphs were used for microinjection with dsUbx, dsZfh1, and dsGfp. dsUbx-treated BPHs contain heavily-pigmented hindwings compared to transparently membranous hindwings of dsZfh1- and dsGfp-treated BPHs. Arrowheads, hindwings. Scale bars, 750 μm. c Scanning electron microscope observation of the second thoracic (T2) and T3 nota. Fourth-instar Wt^LW nymphs were microinjected with dsUbx, dsZfh1 or dsGfp, and emerged adults were directly used for scanning electron microscope. Scale bars, 200 μm. Twenty samples in a–c were repeated independently with similar results. d Examination of the expression of Ubx and Zfh1 in forewing buds (FWB) and hindwing buds (HWB) of fifth-instar nymphs by qRT-PCR. The experiments were repeated three times with similar results (dots). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Two-tailed unpaired t-test was used for the statistical analysis (**P = 0.004267 for Zfh1 and ****P = 8.11903E-07 for Ubx). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.