Mutant embryos have defects in germband extension.

Homozygous or wol²/Df(2L)BSC111 larvae hatch and have a wild type cuticle by light microscopy. They eventually die after one moult without displaying any obvious phenotype.

The cuticle of wol² larvae is less compact, as fissures loosen the procuticle without, grossly disrupting chitin organization. In addition to this defect, the procuticle of larvae lacking maternal wol derived from wol² germline clones harbors electron-dense material.

Embryos derived from females carrying homozygous germline clones have segmentation defects in the posterior half of the embryo, and a curled-up phenotype resulting from defects in germband elongation and retraction.

Embryos that lack maternal wol function (derived from females carrying homozygous germ line clones) show deletions of alternating abdominal ventral denticle belts, and have a short head and Filzkorper. Embryos that lack both maternal and zygotic wol function (derived from females carrying homozygous germ line clones mated to mutant males) have more severe defects and cuticle holes.