New gene arrangements in natural populations of Drosophila subobscura

Four new gene arrangements were detected in natural populations of Drosophila subobscura near Zürich, Switzerland. Three of them are the result of inversions not recorded before, and one is a new combination of known gene arrangements. Another arrangement, I₃₊₄, was recorded for the first time in Switzerland. It may have been imported or possibly may have arisen de novo. It is suggested that inversion mutations are not so infrequent as so far supposed, if the presence of mobile elements is taken into account in D. subobscura.