Population genetics in the American Tropics XVI. Data on partial dominance of recessives in Drosophila willistoni.

Through a series of genetic load studies made on 1) samples of Drosophila willistoni from two sites in Mesitas, Colombia, it was found that the relative contributions to the total, subvital and lethal loads reflect lethal equivalences (B/A) ratios which support more the balancing theory of population structure than the neutralist theory. Moreover, measurements of population size have revealed the existance of very small demes in local populations. Under such conditions we have calculated extremely small lethal equivalence ratios in demes where probably a great deal of consanguinity takes place. We are aware that under these conditions B/A ratios cannot be very good monitors of random load measurements and, therefore, suggest a change in the mathematical formulation that take into consideration the existance of small populations.Furthermore, it appears plausible that the degree of penetrance in the heterozygous condition changes as the population structure changes. We speculate that natural populations may have unknown selective mechanisms capable of guiding unknown dominance modifiers according to the intensity of selection.