A rare two-headed crested gecko, named Simon and Garfunkel, has reached four weeks of age, defying the typically short lifespan of animals with polycephaly. The reptile hatched unexpectedly on June 29 at Rockstar Geckos, a breeding business in northeastern Pennsylvania.
The condition, known as polycephaly, involves having more than one head, with two-headedness specifically termed bicephaly or dicephaly. Each head typically possesses its own brain, sharing control of the body's organs and limbs, although the exact neural connections can vary. This can often lead to disoriented movement as the brains may conflict.
However, Simon and Garfunkel are reportedly thriving and have begun to coordinate their movements. "This little one was a surprise!" Rockstar Geckos shared on Facebook, noting that such an occurrence has happened only once before in their experience. The gecko weighed just 1.8 grams at four weeks old. The breeders also confirmed that neither head appears dominant and their positioning prevents them from biting each other.
The gecko's unusual birth has garnered significant attention on social media. This news follows a similar rare occurrence earlier in the year, when a calf with two heads was born on a farm in Kentucky. That calf also exhibited multiple ears, eyes, noses, and mouths, and had spinal and leg deformities.