[darbymcgill]

So has the requirement for survivability of a species now gone from 8 pairs to 8 individuals?

Or since there was no other living organisms to attack the prokaryotes, was genetic diversity not a requirement for their survival? Thus the rule of 8 pairs kicks in later on down the evolutionary tree and is not applicable to our single common ancestor?

[Right Wing Professor]

Or since there was no other living organisms to attack the prokaryotes, was genetic diversity not a requirement for their survival? Thus the rule of 8 pairs kicks in later on down the evolutionary tree and is not applicable to our single common ancestor?

Right. I wouldn't call it a 'rule', anyway.