A pair of conjoined gray whale twins found washed up on the banks of a Baja California lagoon, are likely the first documented case of conjoined gray whales.
The conjoined whale calves were found dead by scientists working in Mexico's Laguna Ojo de Liebre, formerly referred to as Scammon's Lagoon, according to Discovery News.
Measuring only seven feet long, the whale carcass is underdeveloped and may have been miscarried. When born healthy, gray whale calves are typically between 12 and 16 feet long when they emerge from the womb.
The twins also appeared underdeveloped, which would suggest a premature birth.
According to the nature news site Pete Thomas Outdoors, which is maintained by Pete Thomas, a former environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times, a database query of Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County did not reveal any instances of conjoined gray whale twins.
Other conjoined cetacean births have been documented in species such as fin, sei and minke whales.
Conjoined sharks have also been found.
The whereabouts of the conjoined whales' mother is unknown, although scientists are curious about what might have happened to her, according to Discovery News.
The below photo was taken by Farah Castello, was obtained through the Guerrero Black Green Facebook page, with the following comment (translated from Spanish via Google Translate).
"Single record, the birth of gray whales twins (twins whose bodies are joined after birth) in Scammon Lagoon. Unfortunately the specimen died, survival was difficult."