The term "apostatic selection" was introduced in 1962 by Bryan Clarke in reference to predation on polymorphic grove snails and since then it has been used as a synonym for negative frequency-dependent selection.Clarke, B. 1962. Balanced polymorphism and the diversity of sympatric species. Pp. 47–70 in D. Nichols ed. Taxonomy and Geography. Systematics Association, Oxford. The behavioural basis of apostatic selection was initially neglected, but was eventually established by A.B Bond.
