# Identical twins + Identical twins = ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 24, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173 "2003-02-24T16:06:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/21 "2003-02-24T17:27:53Z")
Well, it doesn’t run as much as fraternal twins do, and I’d guess the splitting is still a matter of some “luck” even in those who are predisposed. Certainly it’s not a significant part of the identical twin population, but there are some families where in which identical twins seem to run. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/22 "2003-02-24T17:34:27Z")
I should also mention that, occasionally, an egg will split (with its polar body, I think) and be fertilized by two different sperm. These are called _polar body twins_ or some variation on _identical twins_. The shared genetic material between such twins is between 50% and 75%, and it definitely runs in the family - the mother’s family, as the characteristic of egg-splitting is genetic. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/23 "2003-02-24T18:30:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nametag \* > \*\*Identical twins run in families because the “weakness” that causes the egg to split after dividing is genetic. \*\* I have friends who are twins, who also have twin sisters. Their mom might have the “weakness” you describe, but she must also have a ton of patience. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/24 "2003-02-24T18:37:12Z")
Sidebar - The offspring between the two couples would be double cousins and ignoring the twins aspect, it was fairly common in the 1800s. This makes for an interesting looking family chart. ---
**Author:** ![davesink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@davesink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davesink)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/25 "2003-02-24T19:11:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*Really? I didn’t know that identical twins run in families. I’m an identical twin and I can’t think of anyone else in my family having a twin (then again I don’t know _all_ of my extended family). \*\* Uh…how bout your brother/sister?😉 ---
**Author:** ![drpepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@drpepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drpepper)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/26 "2003-02-24T19:23:09Z")
I want to make sure I have this straight: Fraternal twinning is linked with a gene and may “run in families”, as it were. Identical twinning is not. Is this right? Does everyone agree with this? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/27 "2003-02-24T19:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by davesink \* > \*\*Uh…how bout your brother/sister?😉 \*\* None in his family either…😃 Aside from my brother and I, there are no other twins. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/28 "2003-02-24T20:29:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drpepper \* > \*\*I want to make sure I have this straight: > > Fraternal twinning is linked with a gene and may “run in families”, as it were. > > Identical twinning is not. > > Is this right? Does everyone agree with this? \*\* If you could get everyone to agree with something-- _anything_ on this board, you should get some sort of prize. But yes, this is the general understanding in the medical community. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/29 "2003-02-25T01:08:33Z")
i can’t believe no one starting the singing yet… so i guess i will. ah hem… meee,eee,eee meeee. cousins, identical cousins… ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/30 "2003-02-25T01:47:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jamie1985 \* > \*\*Thanks Q.E.D 🙂 > > And BTW in my 3 weeks as a lurker i’ve decided to believe Zotti = Cecil \*\* Or perhaps Cecil and Ed are the siblings of two pairs of identical twins who decided to marry… :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/31 "2003-02-25T01:53:57Z")
The children would look different due to the randomness of recombination during meiosis - but they would probably look like siblings. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/32 "2003-02-25T04:48:38Z")
Oooh oooh! Here’s something funny I just thought of. If a set of identical female and identical male twins had an orgy, there would be no way to figure out who the fathers are when both females give birth. ---
**Author:** ![bcullman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bcullman/32/8207_2.png) [@bcullman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bcullman)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/33 "2003-02-25T07:00:23Z")
Identical twins + Identical twins = ? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shagnasty \* > \*\*No, probably not but the children would be brother and sister genetically. \*\* whoa - is this true? ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173/34 "2003-02-25T07:29:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jamie1985 \* > \*\* > And BTW in my 3 weeks as a lurker i’ve decided to believe Zotti = Cecil \*\* [hijack] If you look at any [Staff Report](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mwashboard.html), it says at the bottom _Although the SDSAB does its best, these articles are edited by Ed Zotti, not Cecil, so accuracywise you’d better keep your fingers crossed._ Why this disclaimer ? To throw us off track ? :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identical-twins-identical-twins/157173.md?page=1)