Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 July 2016
The rate of genetic drift at an autosomal locus for a bisexual, diploid population of fixed size is studied. The generations are non-overlapping. The model encompasses a variety of mating systems, including random monogamy, random polygamy in one sex and random mating. The rate of drift is shown for several models to depend on the expected number of parents that two randomly selected individuals have in common. The male and female offspring are assigned to families in a fairly general way, which permits the study of a model in which each family has offspring of one sex only. The equation arising in this last case is identical to one of Jacquard for a system in which sib-mating is excluded.