The blog explain that octopuses possess a remarkable and unusual cardiovascular system: they have three hearts. This intricate system plays a crucial role in their survival and adaptation to their underwater environment.
Two Hearts for Breathing
- Two of the octopus’s hearts are called branchial hearts.
- These hearts are specifically dedicated to pumping blood through the gills.
- Each branchial heart sits near one of the gills, pushing deoxygenated blood into the gill filaments where it can absorb oxygen from the water.
One Heart for the Body
- The third heart is the systemic heart, responsible for circulating the oxygenated blood from the gills to the rest of the octopus’s body.
- This central heart acts as the primary pump, ensuring that all the octopus’s organs and tissues receive the necessary oxygen to function.
The Importance of Three Hearts
Having three hearts offers significant advantages for octopuses:
- Efficient Oxygen Delivery: The two branchial hearts ensure efficient oxygen uptake from the gills, while the systemic heart maintains a strong flow of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. This is particularly important for active animals like octopuses, which require a lot of energy to move and hunt.
- Overcoming Gravity: Unlike fish, which are aided by water’s buoyancy, octopuses need to work against gravity to pump blood to their elevated brains. The three-heart system provides the necessary pressure to overcome this challenge.
Unique Blood Composition
The sources highlight another fascinating aspect of the octopus’s circulatory system: their blood contains hemocyanin instead of haemoglobin.
- Hemocyanin is a copper-based molecule that carries oxygen, giving octopus blood a blue colour.
- This copper-based molecule is more efficient at transporting oxygen in cold, low-oxygen environments compared to the iron-based haemoglobin found in humans.
- This adaptation makes hemocyanin ideal for the octopus’s deep-sea habitat, where oxygen levels can be low.
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