Homozygous mothers produce dorsalized egg shells and embryos. The first sign of dorsalization in embryos can be seen during gastrulation, when the ventral furrow is reduced or absent. Dorsalization in the egg chamber is evident in the shape of the follicle cells. While the number of follicle cells around the main body of the egg shell is reduced, dorsal appendages are expanded, often fused dorsally and/or extended ventrally. The embryos lack polar granules and pole cells. Embryos show abdominal segmentation defects similar to those produced by mutations in the grandchildless-knirps or posterior class of maternal effect loci.