If you’ve ever wondered, how many hearts does an octopuse have, you’ve come to the right place. Octopuses have three hearts and nine brains. They have two branchial hearts and one systemic heart. However, one of their three hearts is actually smaller than the other two. If you have ever seen an octopus swim around the sea, you probably have wondered what makes this creature unique from other sea creatures.
Octopus has three hearts
Did you know that octopuses have three hearts? This truncated cephalopod has three hearts: one heart pumps blood around the body, while the other two pump blood to the gills. This unique three-heart system allows the octopus to obtain oxygenated blood throughout the body while still maintaining its active lifestyle. The octopus has three hearts because it uses a copper-rich protein called haemocyanin to carry oxygen.
Octopus has nine brains
It’s difficult to believe that an animal with nine brains could be so intelligent, but it actually does. Octopuses are members of the cephalopod family and possess a massive brain to body ratio of almost two to one. While the octopus’s brain is located in the head, its arms and legs contain tiny brains. These brains make it possible for the animal to complete tasks faster, even if they don’t have enough neurons to be classified as ‘brains’.
Octopus has two branchial hearts
In cephalopods, there are two branchial hearts and one central systemic heart. The dominant central heart provides blood to the entire body, including the eight tentacles of octopus and ten tentacles of squid. The aortic arches, a collection of branchial arteries, form a variable-volume reservoir.
Octopus has a systemic heart
An octopus has three hearts. Two of them pump blood beyond the gills while the third keeps circulation going for the other organs. While swimming, the systemic heart of an octopus is dormant because of the high blood pressure that is required to pump blood efficiently. The other two hearts pump pure blood rich in oxygen through the gills. This blood then returns to the systematic heart where it is pressurized and sent through the cycle.
Octopus has branchial hearts
In addition to having nine brains and eight legs, the octopus also has branchial hearts that sit near its gills. These specialized organs pump blood through the gills to the rest of the body. The octopus’s branchial hearts work like a right-sided heart, pumping blood to the lungs, while the central heart pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body.
Octopus has systemic heart
The two types of octopus hearts are branchial and systemic. Branchial hearts pump blood through the gills of the animal, while systemic heart pumps blood to the rest of the body. While branchial hearts are smaller and less active, they still work well for the animal. The systemic heart is similar to a human’s circulatory system, and its copper-rich protein makes octopus blood blue.
Branchial heart
Octopuses have three hearts: one branchial heart for each gill and a central, systemic heart for the rest of the body. These hearts are automated, unlike humans, who have two separate heart pumps for the pulmonary and systemic circulatory systems. While these hearts aren’t very complicated, they are painful and can shorten an octopus’ life expectancy.
