Grumpy

Is it an evolutionary fluke? How heritable is the conjoined condition, or, to put it another way, do genes promote conjoined development? In the case of placentals, it would be the genes of the mother, since I assume the gestational environment is the major factor.

I doubt you'd see an entire species of two-headed turtles, because you can't create them by breeding. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Blinn

Developmental fluke.

Duvenoy

No matter how many of these unfortuante animals are born, there will never be a population of 2-headed turtles. They sinply can't survive without human assistance.

I have no doubt that the little sea turtle (a Loggerhead?) was eaten within an hour of it's being released in the ocean. As it should have been.

They are simply an accident of egg fertilization. A set of twins that didn't work out. Most of these eggs die before hatchiing. As far as I know, this is as close to twins as oviperous reptiles get.

It also happens once in a while in ovaviviporus snakes. I read a story of a two-headed Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis). It was born in captivity and as far as I know, is still alive. But again, most are born as 'slugs' and are fed to the Cottonmouth, who likes them.

All are merely a mildly interesting anomaly.

doov