What are dizygotic twins commonly referred to as?

Dizygotic twins are commonly referred to as fraternal twins. This term is used because dizygotic twins result from two separate eggs being fertilized by two separate sperm cells, which leads to the development of two genetically unique individuals. These twins share about 50% of their genetic material, just like regular siblings, but they may differ significantly in appearance and personality due to the different combinations of genes they inherit from their parents.

Identical twins, or monozygotic twins, arise from a single fertilized egg that splits into two embryos. This results in two individuals who are genetically identical. Trizygotic twins occur when three separate eggs are fertilized and develop simultaneously, leading to three genetically unique siblings. Given this understanding, the term fraternal twins accurately describes dizygotic twins, highlighting the key difference between them and identical twins.