Homozygous larvae move significantly shorter distances than wild-type larvae in a crawling assay. Homozygous and acj6¹/acj6⁶ adults show reduced activity in a vertical walking assay compared to wild-type adults. Occasional gaps in the lamina plexus are seen in acj6¹/acj6⁶ larvae. Lamina precursor cell proliferation and initial lamina neuron differentiation are wild type.

acj6¹ flies show reduced motility in a "bump assay"; if a bottle of flies is bumped against a bench such that the flies fall to the bottom of the bottle and then the lid is removed, 0% of acj6¹ flies escape in 15 seconds, whereas 90-95% of wild-type flies escape in 15 seconds. The amplitudes of receptor potentials recorded from adult olfactory organs in response to ethyl acetate are reduced in homozygotes compared to wild-type flies.

Reduction in the amplitude of response to odorants (acetone, propionic acid, butanol and ethyl acetate) to both the antenna and maxillary palp. Response amplitude to benzaldehyde is essentially normal in the maxillary palp.

Phenotype displays a reduced EAG that ranges from 70% at low doses to 25% at high doses of ethyl acetate and benzaldehyde: consistent with behavioral data. The EAG response to water vapour is also reduced representing a defect in hygroreception of the antennae. In addition larvae are abnormal in olfactory behaviour. Larvae move less than wild type in response to agitation of their culture vials and show a reduced climbing frequency: a reduced responsiveness to disturbance.

The jump response to ethyl acetate and benzaldehyde was equally reduced to one third that of wild type. Extracellular recordings following odorant stimulation show that the change in electrical potential is significantly less than wild type.