trio³ homozygous MARCM clones of R7 photoreceptor neurons at 40-60 percent through pupal development (P40-60) have significantly reduced lifespan of bulbous growth cone filopodia (bulbs) at axon terminals, with significantly more transient bulbs, significantly fewer stable bulbs and no change in the total number of bulbs, compared to controls, with no effect on other filopodia; similar to controls there are few timepoints during P60 where no bulbs are present; at P70, there are a similar number of synapses to controls; R7 axons do not retract during pupal development, similar to controls.

Axon terminals of homozygous R7 photoreceptor cell clones sometimes fail to contact the M6 layer of the medulla. Those axons that do contact M6 sometimes project thin extensions beyond M6.