A white eye color mutant in the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans submotsitans Newstead (Diptera: Glossinidae)

Abstract

A spontaneous mutation in Glossina morsitans submorsitans Newstead is described. The mutant, designated wht, has white compound eyes but the ocelli and testes have normal coloration. Mutants have lower than normal amounts of xanthommatin and pteridines in their heads. The lesion occurs late in the tryptophan to xanthommatin pathway, in the storage of xanthommatin in the compound eyes, or, most likely, in the transport of precursors into the compound eyes. The locus wht is on the X chromosome.Key words: tsetse, Glossina morsitans submorsitans, wht mutant, tryptophan metabolism.