expression is predictive of dauer formation in larvae.

In adverse conditions, larvae can enter the alternative L2d stage. If conditions remain poor, L2d larvae can molt into stress-resistant dauer larvae. The FOXO ortholog promotes dauer formation, but mutants can enter dauer with incomplete penetrance in combination with a mutation in /TGFβ. The degree to which larvae enter L2d is unknown. Here we show that many mutants express intermediate levels of the L2d marker, suggesting incomplete entry into L2d. Furthermore, lack of expression early in the second larval stage partially predicts which larvae will bypass dauer formation.