Über Substitutionsgene und Transfer der Genfunktion

Summary

In some favorable cases it can be shown that in a given genotype there are more genes present than necessary to produce a certain character. By the aid of such substitute-genes evolved under the protection of present genes of analogous action the phylogenetic stability of a character can be assured with more certainty. On the other hand, in the case of loss of the “older” ancestral gene the identity of the phenotype is safeguarded now by the substitute-gene formerly present merely in a latent condition. The substitute-gene takes over the function of the gene lost. In the course of phylogenetic divergence of two forms those of their characters being of the same phenotypical manifestation can be produced by different systems of substitute-genes, added to the genotypes under divergent evolution.