Posted: May 23, 2016 12:05 pm
Indeed, even the simple measure of genome size is no indicator of "complexity", a matter that PZ Myers covered at some length elsewhere. For example, here are some sample genome sizes, arising from the sequencing data (numbers below are the numbers of base pairs in the genome in question):
Carsonella ruddi (Bacterium) : 159,662
Escherichia coli (Bacterium) : 4,600,000
Prytelenchus coffeae (Nematode worm) : 20,000,000
Aspergillus nidulans (Fungus) : 30,000,000
Drosophila melanogaster (Insect) : 130,000,000
Arabidopsis thaliana (Angiosperm plant) : 157,000,000
Physcomitrella patens (Bryophhyte moss) : 480,000,000
Tetraodon nigroviridis (Teleost Fish) : 385,000,000
Homo sapiens (Primate mammal) : 3,500,000,000
Protopterus aethiopicus (Sarcopterygian fish): 130,000,000,000
Fritillaria assyrica (Angiosperm plant) : 130,000,000,000
Paris japonica (Angiosperm plant) : 150,000,000,000
Polychaos dubium (Single celled amoeba) : 670,000,000,000
Carsonella ruddi (Bacterium) : 159,662
Escherichia coli (Bacterium) : 4,600,000
Prytelenchus coffeae (Nematode worm) : 20,000,000
Aspergillus nidulans (Fungus) : 30,000,000
Drosophila melanogaster (Insect) : 130,000,000
Arabidopsis thaliana (Angiosperm plant) : 157,000,000
Physcomitrella patens (Bryophhyte moss) : 480,000,000
Tetraodon nigroviridis (Teleost Fish) : 385,000,000
Homo sapiens (Primate mammal) : 3,500,000,000
Protopterus aethiopicus (Sarcopterygian fish): 130,000,000,000
Fritillaria assyrica (Angiosperm plant) : 130,000,000,000
Paris japonica (Angiosperm plant) : 150,000,000,000
Polychaos dubium (Single celled amoeba) : 670,000,000,000