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Unusual Animals

This animal has three hearts and blue blood

The octopus carries three hearts and blood that runs blue.

Reviewed by the CurioVault curator · 8 October 2026 · Last updated 20 September 2026 · Editorial standards

This animal has three hearts and blue blood — AI illustration
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The octopus carries three hearts and blood that runs blue. Two branchial hearts pump blood to the gills to collect oxygen, while a larger systemic heart sends that oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. The blue colour comes from hemocyanin, a copper-based protein that carries oxygen more efficiently than our iron-based hemoglobin in cold, low-oxygen water. When an octopus swims, its systemic heart actually pauses, which is why it prefers to crawl. It is a living workaround for surviving the deep.

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