Table 3. Ranking of the candidate reference genes according to their stability value using NormFinder.

*M increases from white (lowest group value) to red (highest group value).

**Reference genes are ranked according to the mean M.

^#All genes with a high inter-group variation (cf. combined) were disqualified (i.e. gadph, actb, actb′ and tubb2) and analyses were repeated.

CON: conventional larvae; GF: germ-free larvae and GFPr: germ-free larvae supplemented with a probiotic candidate.