Sequential emergence of the evenly spaced microchaetes on the notum of Drosophila

The small bristles (microchaetes) on the thorax of adult Drosophila are evenly spaced. We have analysed the development of this pattern using the enhancer trap line A101 where bacterial lacZ is expressed in the microchaete sensory mother cells (SMCs) and their progeny. We observed that the precursor cells appear in a stereotyped pattern of rows. Within each row, however, SMCs appear neither at a time nor in a restricted sequence: new SMCs are continuously intercalated between pre-existing SMCs until the distance between consecutive SMCs does not exceed a few cell diameters. In large individuals, additional SMCs may occasionally appear after the completion of the rows, in the largest empty spaces between the preexisting SMCs.