Two-Headed Fossil Found In China
By Helen Potter
A fossilised two-headed reptile has been discovered in China by French and Chinese palaeontologists. The fossil is of a newborn or embryonic reptile with two heads and necks and is only 7 centimetres long. It belonged to a species of long-necked aquatic lizards that lived 150 million years ago.
Axial bifurcation (two-headedness) is not unknown in reptiles, with two-headed snakes and turtles turning up every now and then. In snakes the two-headedness is the result of an embryo splitting into identical twins, but stopping part way - the same as Siamese twins in humans.
Two-headed snakes have even been successfully raised in captivity, with a snake called Thelma and Louise even having 15 normal young.
Find out about Helen and read more of her articles here.
Read on to find out more about our prehistoric friends
- Enormous - Biggest ever fossils found
- Interesting - Students Dino discovery
- Devil Toad - Nutty Nomenclature
- Spoof - Dinos found alive and well
Axial bifurcation (two-headedness) is not unknown in reptiles, with two-headed snakes and turtles turning up every now and then. In snakes the two-headedness is the result of an embryo splitting into identical twins, but stopping part way - the same as Siamese twins in humans.
Two-headed snakes have even been successfully raised in captivity, with a snake called Thelma and Louise even having 15 normal young.Find out about Helen and read more of her articles here.
Read on to find out more about our prehistoric friends
- Enormous - Biggest ever fossils found
- Interesting - Students Dino discovery
- Devil Toad - Nutty Nomenclature
- Spoof - Dinos found alive and well
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