Figure 2.

Phenotypes observed after Gb′E93 depletion using RNAi in G. bimaculatus. (a–c) dsRNA targeting DsRed2 (control) or Gb′E93 was injected into fifth instars on day 1. The fifth instar nymphs that received RNAi targeting Gb′E93 initiated supernumerary moults at the 8th–9th–10th instars (instead of eighth instar to adult), and subsequently developed into large-sized adults compared with the control adults. The nymphal instar and adult stage are indicated at the bottom of each panel (male: ♂; and female: ♀). (d–f) Lateral views of the eighth (d), adult (e) or 10th (f) instar nymphs that were injected with dsRNA targeting DsRed2 or Gb′E93 on day 1 of the fifth instar, respectively. Magenta arrows indicate the white pigmentation of the head and prothorax. (g,h) Body length (g) and weight (h) of adults that were treated with RNAi targeting DsRed2 or Gb′E93. Data are presented as the mean ± s.d. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.005; ***p < 0.001 according to Student's t-test. (i,j) Dorsal views of the eighth instar or a representative supernumerary 10th instar nymph that was injected with dsRNA targeting DsRed2 (i) or Gb′E93 (j) on day 1 of the fifth instar. Scale bars: 10 mm in (a–c); 2 mm in (d–f,i,j).