Paul Gallagher  wrote in
news:blth4r$2kfq$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org: 

> Paul Griffiths has a useful persective in "Sex and Death." One point
> he makes that gene interaction isn't the only problem for genic
> selection. Consider that two alleles could have the same phenotypic
> effect: if A and B are distinct alleles and they both can make 
> the difference X in the organism, isn't more sensible to say X is 
> selected, rather than A and B are selected?
>

Note that duplication of  alleles ( in this case they may not be different 
but they are distinct because they exist in separate locations) has been 
implicated in creation of new species. The theory is that  subpopulations 
can diverge at the two different alleles while still maintaining the same 
phenotype because the other allele is conserved. At this point a short 
period of allopatry leads to a change in one of the remaining conserved 
alleles, and presto-changeo you get two species.  So what should we say is 
responsible for the species difference? If not for the previous gene 
duplication, the allopatry by itself would not lead to speciation.

 
Yours,

Bill Morse
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