Bi-racial twins, born with different complexions, become social media stars

ILLINOIS -- Two gorgeous little tots are now social media stars for one very interesting reason.

Bi-racial twins Kalani and Jerani are inspiring a lot of people after emerging from the womb with two completely different complexions.

The 9-month-old twins were featured Wednesday on Good Morning America.

Their mother, Whitney Meyer, says she has to dress the girls alike, otherwise people would never believe they were twins.

Little Kalani has light skin and blue eyes, while her younger fraternal twin Jarani, born five minutes later, has brown skin and brown eyes.

Now the girls are taking social media by storm, and getting lots of love and a caring embrace from people around the world.

But how do twins who are fraternal come out with two different complexions?

Dr. Angela Bianco, of Mount Sinai Hospital, says skin color is determined by multiple genes, but fraternal twins come from two separate eggs, and two different sperm.

"By virtue of chance, one twin can inherit more DNA from a specific parent in contract to its co-twin, and that DNA can code or translate for things like skin color and eye color," Dr. Bianco said.

"This is pretty rare occurrence to have two twins that look very different, but it certainly can happen with biracial couples, but it's really just a matter of chance."