Homozygous mir-8^jk22 mutants are proportionally smaller in size, have defective third legs and demonstrate decreased survival and ability to eclose compared to controls. Females flies exhibit alterations in the spatial pigmentation pattern of the dorsal abdomen, most evident in the A6 segment. At 25[o]C, rather than having pigmentation throughout most of the segment as is seen in wild type flies, the pigmentation in mir-8^jk22 mutant females is widest at the dorsal midline but tapers off laterally. This phenotype is completely penetrant in females but no pigmentation defects are seen in male abdomens. The pigmentation pattern seen in similar to that seen when wild type flies are reared at 29[o]C.

Very few homozygous mir-8^jk22 mutants successfully emerge from pupal cases at 29[o]C and those that do eclose die within a few hours. Most of the flies that fail to eclose die as late stage pupae. Fewer flies eclose compared to wild type at 18[o]C and 25[o]C but to a lesser extent than at 29[o]C.

Female mir-8^jk22/mir-8^Δ1 flies exhibit alterations in the spatial pigmentation pattern of the dorsal abdomen, most evident in the A6 segment. At 25[o]C, rather than having pigmentation throughout most of the segment as is seen in wild type flies, the pigmentation in mutant females is widest at the dorsal midline and tapers off laterally.

Female mir-8^jk22/Df(2R)ED2747 flies exhibit alterations in the spatial pigmentation pattern of the dorsal abdomen, most evident in the A6 segment. At 25[o]C, rather than having pigmentation throughout most of the segment as is seen in wild type flies, the pigmentation in mutant females is widest at the dorsal midline and tapers off laterally.