Fig. 5: Ebony is required for proper body pigmentation patterning in tephritids.
From: Functional genomics implicates ebony in the black pupae phenotype of tephritid fruit flies
a Wildtype B. dorsalis (Punador strain) displays a predominantly black thorax with a particular reddish-brown area at the posterior edge of the scutum (arrowhead). b, c In contrast, its abdomen is predominantly reddish-brown with a distinct black T-shaped marking accompanied by narrow fuscous corners on tergites T4 and T5 (arrowheads). In ebony mutants, black pigmentation takes over the light areas of the thorax (d) while enlarging abdominal markings (e, f). Wildtype Z. cucurbitae displays a uniform light-brown color in the thorax (g) and abdomen (h, i), except for a few narrow black stripes in the latter. This overall appearance becomes completely distorted in ebony mutants. New pigmentation patterns appear as their thorax turns almost uniformly black (j), and their abdominal stripes become significantly enlarged (k, l). In both species, the absence of Ebony results in new pigmentation patterns. Terminology in accordance to White and Elson-Harris7.
