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To keep it simple and not get too technical, fraternal twins are from two eggs and two sperm that independently combine to produce a baby. Identical twins come from a single egg and sperm that divide to create two separate children. Gender is controlled by the males sperm and whether it contains the male genetic X chromosome. Since identical twins have the same sperm their genetic makeup is exactly the same (same egg and sperm used in development). Fraternal twins have two separate sperm and therefore it is possible one has the X chromosome and other does not.

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Q: Why can fraternal twins de different sexes while identical twins cannot?
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Are paternal twins identical?

I dont think there is such a thing as paternal twins...perhaps you are thinking of fraternal twins. In that case, they are not identical twins, they do not look the same and they can be different sexes.


Twins who have different sexes are called?

fraternal


What is the difference btween identical twins and fraternal twins?

Identical twins are the result of a single fertilized embryo splitting in two at an early stage and forming two viable embryos. As such, identical twins have identical DNA. Fraternal twins are the result of two distinct fertilized embryos being viable. As such, they have different DNA. They could even be different sexes.


Was Shakespeare's twins identical?

No. All identical twins are the same sex. Judith and Hamnet were opposite sexes, and so were fraternal twins.


If twins aren't identical what are they called?

Twins who are not identical are called fraternal twins. They develop from two separate eggs fertilized by two different sperm cells. Fraternal twins can be of the same or different sexes and share about 50% of their genetic material, like any siblings.


How are twins born non-identical?

Non-identical (fraternal) twins are born when two separate eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm. This results in siblings with different genetic makeups and physical characteristics. Non-identical twins can be the same sex or different sexes.


Can identical twins be of different sexes?

They can be. While identical twins always have to be the same gender, fraternal twins usually are not. However this is not always the case. Identical twins occur because they inhabit the same egg. Fraternal twins because two eggs were fertilized at the same time. So fraternal twins could be the same gender, but usually they are of the opposite gender.


How do twins look exactly alike?

Twins can look alike due to sharing the same genetic material and inheriting similar physical traits from their parents. Identical twins result from a single fertilized egg splitting into two embryos, leading to nearly identical DNA. Fraternal twins, on the other hand, are the result of two separate eggs being fertilized by two different sperm cells, which can result in less resemblance between siblings.


Are fraternal twins never the same sex?

Fraternal twins can be the same sex or opposite sexes. It doesn't matter.


How do you get identical twins and fraternal twins?

Identical twins are two children born of one egg and one sperm, that splits early on and then separates, each half then developing into a full organism. Since they came from only one egg and one sperm, their genes will be identical. Fraternal twins are two children born of two eggs and two sperms, each of them developing into a full organism. Since they did not come from only one egg and one sperm, their genes will be different. They could even be opposite sexes.


What is the different between identical twins and franternal twins?

The DNA of identical twins and of clones is, apart from random, environmentally produced mutations, 100% identical. The only difference is that clones are produced on purpose through advanced bioengineering techniques while identical twins happen as an accident of nature. Identical twins are, in a sense, natural clones.


Are identical twins developed from one egg or two?

There are at least three ways to produce twins. One is when the female produces two eggs, both of which are fertilized by the male. This is how fraternal twins are produced. Fraternal twins can be both the same sex or different sexes. Fraternal twins may only bear a slight resemblance to one another, no more than any two siblings might. (Fraternal twins can actually have different biological fathers, because the eggs may be produced a day or two apart.) Another is for the woman to produce one egg which is fertilized by the male, and then the egg divides into two. This is the traditional way that so-called identical twins are produced. Identical twins are always the same sex. (I use the term 'so-called,' because they are actually 'mirror image' twins.) A third way is for the woman to produce one egg, which then divides into two, which are both subsequently fertilized. There is a greater chance that such twins will resemble one another than fraternal twins, and they may be the same or opposite sexes.