Evolutionary Biology [electronic resource] : Volume 23 /

1. Maintenance of a Hereditary Virus: The Sigma Virus in Populations of Its Host, Drosophila melanogaster -- French Populations of Drosophila melanogaster -- Geographical Variation of the Drosophila—Sigma System -- Other Systems of Vertically Transmitted Viruses -- Appendix: Transmission of Stabilized and Nonstabilized Conditions -- References -- 2. Domestication: Evolutionary Change under Stress -- Environmental Change and Domestication -- Adaptation to Laboratory Conditions -- A Case Study: Domestication in Foxes -- Discussion -- Summary -- References -- 3. Range Expansion and Its Genetic Consequences in Populations of the Giant Toad, Bufo marinus -- The Spread of Bufo marinus -- Genetic Variation in the Introduced Populations -- Conclusion -- References -- 4. Evolution by Social Selection -- Concept of Social Selection -- Evidence for Social Selection -- Social Selection Models -- Maternal Effects -- DNA Polymorphism and Social Selection -- Discussion -- Summary -- References -- 5. The Influence of Taxonomic Method on the Perception of Patterns of Evolution -- The Nature of Taxa -- Why Nonmonophyletic Groups Are Not Real Taxa -- The Red Queen Hypothesis -- Periodicity of Extinction -- Summary -- Appendix 1: Families, Genera, and Species of Echinoderm Listed as Extinct in Sepkoski’s Compendia That Have Been Checked -- Appendix 2: Families, Genera, and Species of Fishes That Have Been Checked -- References -- 6. Genetic Diversity in Nature: Patterns and Theory -- The Problem -- A Promising Solution -- The Evidence -- The Theory -- Conclusions and Prospects -- Summary -- References -- 7. Challenges to the Evolutionary Synthesis -- How Should We Interpret the Synthesis -- Biased Variation, Internal Dynamics, and Evolutionary Conservatism Hierarchy -- Hierarchy -- Unifying Theories -- An Optimistic Conclusion -- References -- 8. Evolution and Genetics of Epigean and Cave Astyanax fasciatus (Characidae, Pisces): Support for the Neutral Mutation Theory -- Taxonomy and Distribution of Epi- and Hypogean Astyanax fasciatus -- Preadaptive Traits -- Regressive Traits -- Constructive Traits -- Genetics and the Evolution of Complex Features -- The Phylogenetic Age of the Hypogean Populations -- The Speciation Process of Troglobitic Astyanax fasciatus -- Speciation and Hybridization -- The Neutral Mutation Theory and Its General Importance in Evolution -- Summary -- References -- 9. Random Walk and the Biometrics of Morphological Characters -- The Structurelessness of Random Walks -- The Range Statistic x for Symmetric Random Walk -- Example: Temporal Change in a Miocene Stickleback -- Concluding Remarks -- Summary -- References.