Octopuses have three hearts. Two pump blood to the gills, and one pumps it to the rest of the body. When they swim, the heart pumping blood to the body actually stops!
octopuses have three hearts: two branchial hearts that pump blood to the gills and one systemic heart that pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. Here's a more detailed explanation: Two Branchial Hearts: These hearts are responsible for pumping blood through the gills, where it picks up oxygen. One Systemic Heart: This heart then takes the oxygen-rich blood and circulates it throughout the octopus's body. Why Three Hearts? Octopuses have blue blood due to the presence of hemocyanin, a copper-based protein that is less efficient at transporting oxygen than hemoglobin, which is found in human blood. The three hearts help compensate for this by pumping blood at higher pressure to ensure efficient oxygen delivery. Other Interesting Facts Octopuses also have nine brains, with each tentacle having its own mini-brain, and are known for their intelligence and camouflage abilities.
They are the closest thing to an alien life form we've encountered on this planet. They are highly intelligent problem solvers. One of the more amazing features of these cephalopods is their skin. At will they can change their color and pattern. Cells of pigmentation can be opened and closed instantaneously for camouflage. Manipulating these cells they can blend in with the environment. They can even alter the texture of their skin to resemble coral and mimic other sea creatures. NOVA has an episode called Kings of Camouflage. It focuses primarily on a cousin of octopus, the cuttlefish. I highly recommend it. [media=https://youtu.be/8ruiudiWcpw]
@Bexsy Enjoy! I had never heard of a cuttlefish before. Wanting to try something new at a restaurant, I asked the waiter for a recommendation. He suggested cuttlefish pasta. A few years later, I saw this Nova episode. My mind was blown! My respect for these cephalopods—their sentience—is so great that I cannot eat them again. Their lives are tragically short: just 2 to 2 ½ years, typically.
@afarcryfrom Same for me on the "no-eating-cephalapods" . I've known about cuttlefish for many years yet it's only fairly recently that the world (in a broad sense) has discovered their immense intelligence. It's quite possible cephs are the second-most intelligent species on this pale blue dot. We have so much more to learn about them.
@caPnAhab That's because they don't have one. The hardest part of their anatomy is the beak (identical to that of a parrot). An octopus can squeeze through any hole, crack, or crevice if its beak can fit. If the opening is too small for the beak then the creature goes nowhere or finds another way.
@afarcryfrom I'm referring to images like these. They show that an octopus does have a skull, though made of cartilage. What is the beak made of? it's probably harder than cartilage
