Penny S.

My point in mentioning the mitochondrial ancestress, whom I have no intention of naming after any assumed personage,

Sorry. It's how she has come to be known in the popular science press. In fact, since it works against my argument that she was really of no significance other than as a statistical oddity, I am happy to drop it.

was to enlarge the point that it wasn't necessary to assume those who did not pass on their genes were either absent, or died earlier than they should.

Hadn't realized that was an issue.