Features and growth of the stemmata in the varnished eye mutant of Bombyx mori

The varnished eye mutant (ve) of the silkworm, Bombyx mori exhibited undeveloped ommatidia in the adult compound eyes. However, the morphology and growth rate of the stemmata, a larval optic organ located on both sides of the head capsule in 6 pairs, were completely normal in developing ve larvae. Also the sectional structures of the stemmata observed under a light microscope did not show any abnormality in the mutant. These results suggest that the formation and growth of larval stemmata are not affected by the ve mutant gene.