Evolution and diversity of insect appendages

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In Drosophila, five tarsal segments are created by changes in expression patterns of two transcription factors, Bar and Dac, by timely expression and function of several other transcription factors, such as Nub, Rn and Ap. On the other hand, during development of larval legs in Bombyx, Nub, Rn and Ap are not expressed and expression of Bar and Dac does not change from the early pattern, and only one tarsal segment is formed. Thus, the difference in the timing of transcription factors expression appears to be one basis for the difference in the numbers of tarsal segments among various insect species.