Hi,

You wouldn't even try to prove the slugs were double dose spiders.

But if you expected 25% of the resultant eggs to be homozygous if measured over a large enough sample and ( once a statistical average of slugs derived from a non-spider control group had been removed from the numbers you saw ) you were seeing a 25% larger than expected number of slugs or failed hatchings it would definately suggest that there were indeed developmental complications.

I am not very good at explaing this so will try a couple of examples.

.....................Total # of eggs........# of slugs.......# failed to hatch....# ok

Control group......100...................5.......................5................90

a)Spider x Spider.100...................23......................5................72

b)Spider x Spider.100....................5.......................23..............72

c)Spider x Spider.100....................5.......................5...............90


Now that is obviously simplistic but it hints (but only hints ) the following according to group;

a) There is a problem with homozygous spiders and it occurs very early in development.

b) There is a problem with homozygous spiders but it happens much later in the development of the hatchling.

c) There is no problems with homozygous spiders developing.



dr del