Eye imaginal discs from Awh1 homozygotes are much smaller than wild type discs, evident from the second instar larva and fail to express genes indicative of photoreceptor development. Adult heterozygotes have reduced eyes and adult homozygotes are eyeless.
Hemizygotes have small eyes and homozygotes exhibit complete elimination of the compound eye. The phenotype is one copy of Awh1 heterozygous with either a deletion, Df(3L)HR119, or a duplication, In(3LR)T33Lf19R of Awh+ is indistinguishable from Awh1 heterozygous with one copy of Awh+. Clonal analysis demonstrates the eye phenotype must result from the failure of eye precursors to develop prior to the onset of retinal differentiation.
Eye discs show no excessive cell death. Retinal precursors appear to be specifically eliminated.