The genetic equidistance phenomenon was first noted in 1963 by Emanuel Margoliash, who wrote: "It appears that the number of residue differences between cytochrome C of any two species is mostly conditioned by the time elapsed since the lines of evolution leading to these two species originally diverged.
В 1963 году Эмануэлем Марголиашем () был обнаружен феномен «genetic equidistance» (генетической эквидистантности), заключающийся в независимости эволюции аминокислотных последовательностей в белках и морфологической эволюции:It appears that the number of residue differences between cytochrome C of any two species is mostly conditioned by the time elapsed since the lines of evolution leading to these two species originally diverged.