This page provides an up to the minute summary of data currently available in the database. Parameters reported include minimum and maximum reported genomes sizes (in picograms), mean genomes sizes with standard error (SE), total number of species assayed, and the methods, cell types, and standards used for all available records. Note that the statistics reported here are based on all records in the database -- for maximum reliability, you are encouraged to evaluate the data for your particular group of interest directly. Note also that these C-value summaries do not currently account for instances of polyploidy (though this will be updated in the future).
Because these statistics refer to the database as a whole, they must be cited as follows if used in a publication:
- Gregory, T.R. (2005). Animal Genome Size Database. http://www.genomesize.com.
Please select your group of interest from the list:
- Entire Database (i.e., all animals)
- All Chordates | Amphibians | Birds | Fishes | Mammals | Reptiles
- All Invertebrates | Annelids | Arachnids | Crustaceans | Echinoderms | Flatworms | Insects | Molluscs | Nematodes
- Methods, Cell Types, and Standard Species
(Other invertebrate groups are insufficiently represented for summary stats)
Molluscs
| Number of molluscs: | 237 |
| Smallest mollusc genome size: | 0.43pg, Lottia gigantea, Owl limpet |
| Largest mollusc genome size: | 7.85pg, Diplommatina kiiensis kiiensis, Snail |
| Mean for molluscs: | 2.10pg ± 0.08 |
Comments:
- Larger genomes in terrestrial gastropods than in their aquatic relatives (Vinogradov 2000).
- Polyploidy is known in many molluscs (Gregory and Mable 2005).
- Click here for the mollusc data page.
Summary of Methods, Cell Types, and Standard Species for Molluscs
Methods (code)
| Biochemical Analysis (BCA) | 3 | 1.14% |
| Bulk Fluorometric Assay (BFA) | 111 | 42.21% |
| Feulgen Densitometry (FD) | 20 | 7.60% |
| Feulgen Image Analysis Densitometry (FIA) | 56 | 21.29% |
| Flow Cytometry (FCM) | 69 | 26.24% |
| Fluorescence Fading Analysis (note: not an established method) (FFA) | 4 | 1.52% |
Cell Types (code)
| Digestive gland (DG) | 4 | 1.56% |
| Gills (G) | 24 | 9.34% |
| Haemocytes (HE) | 6 | 2.33% |
| Liver (LV) | 20 | 7.78% |
| Mantle (MT) | 7 | 2.72% |
| Muscle cells (MC) | 48 | 18.68% |
| Not specified (NS) | 18 | 7.00% |
| Somatic cells (SC) | 1 | 0.39% |
| Sperm (S) | 119 | 46.30% |
| Testes (TS) | 9 | 3.50% |
| Whole body (WB) | 1 | 0.39% |
Standard Species (code, C-value)
| Artemisia arborescens (plant standard - not recommended) (AAR, 5.72pg) | 4 | 1.38% |
| Carassius auratus (CA, 1.75pg) | 31 | 10.73% |
| Crassostrea gigas (CG, 1.82pg) | 11 | 3.81% |
| Donax trunculus (DT, 3.20pg) | 10 | 3.46% |
| Gallus domesticus (GD, 1.25pg) | 26 | 9.00% |
| Homo sapiens (HS, 3.50pg) | 16 | 5.54% |
| Lymnaea stagnalis (LS, 1.20pg) | 15 | 5.19% |
| Mytilus edulis (ME, 1.60pg) | 16 | 5.54% |
| Not specified | 14 | 4.84% |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss (OM, 2.60pg) | 3 | 1.04% |
| Pisum sativum (plant standard - not recommended) (PSV, 4.19pg) | 3 | 1.04% |
| Rana temporaria (RT, 4.30pg) | 5 | 1.73% |
| Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (SP, 0.89pg) | 110 | 38.06% |
| Sus scrofa (SS, 3.20pg) | 1 | 0.35% |
| Various | 24 | 8.30% |