Abstract
A scheme is proposed for dividing up genetic variability in natural populations. Some of the variability initially produced by mutation is unconditionally deleterious and is removed more or less rapidly. Some is adaptively useful in the short run but subject to a high segregational load and therefore also eliminated or modified, but more slowly. Some is adaptively useful in the long term, with low segregational load. This last class, because it persists for so long in the population and in sum adds so little to the total genetic load, is suggested to comprise the majority of polymorphisms observed by electrophoretic and immunological means. Several properties are proposed for this last class; moreover, two alleles of the octanol dehydrogenase locus of Drosophila pseudoobscura fit these properties. The general plan of that experiment could be used to search for other members of the same class at other polymorphic loci. A number of suggestions for future research are made.
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