The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and humans have nearly identical numbers of protein-coding genes, yet humans have much more complex organismal features. This is an example of

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The G-value paradox refers to the fact that the number of protein-coding genes in an organism does not always correlate with its apparent complexity or number of traits. The nearly identical number of genes in C. elegans and humans, yet significant differences in organismal complexity, is an example of this paradox. The C-value paradox refers to the fact that genome size does not always correlate with organismal complexity, while the cell size paradox refers to the observation that small cells can have complex structures and functions. Linkage disequilibrium is a phenomenon in genetics where certain alleles on a chromosome are more likely to be inherited together due to their physical proximity.

The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans and Humans Have Nearly Identical Numbers