abs45LR7/absE2 transheterozygotes survive to the third instar larval stage at 25oC. The overall organisation of the retinal projections is disrupted in absE2/abs45LR7 animals. The fan of retinal projections into the optic lobe is irregular in shape, axons terminate prematurely and often cluster aberrantly. No apparent defects in photoreceptor differentiation is seen, and the number of ommatidia appears normal. However some irregularities in the photoreceptor cell layer, including misrotation of ommatidia, additional photoreceptors, and sometimes fewer photoreceptors are seen. absE2/abs45LR7 show melanotic tumours at various positions in their bodies. absII-F1/abs45LR7 mutants the Bolwig's nerve (BN) appears thicker and morphologically abnormal and defasciculates into separate branches.
Phenotypic analysis provides an allelic series: absE2 << abs04505 = abs00620 < absII-F1 = abs45LR7.