10 Animals with more than one brain including octopus, starfish and more

When we imagine the brain, we tend to picture one command center—such as a control hub within the human skull—managing all body functions. But nature is not always a centralised design. Indeed, various animals have developed multiple brain-like organs, bestowing on them abilities that almost sound alien-like. These are not accidental adaptations; they have evolved to increase survival, perhaps by facilitating independent limb movement, regeneration, or ultra-fast movement.

Although these nervous systems are not identical to our own, they play equally important functions in assisting these animals to move around, hunt, defend themselves, and survive in intricate environments. Explore some of the most incredible examples of animals that operate with more than one brain .




Animals with multiple brains






Octopus





The octopus is the epitome of an animal with a distributed brain system. While it possesses a central brain between its eyes, there are mini-brains present in all eight arms in the form of ganglia. They enable each arm to act semi-autonomously and permit the arms to move, sense, and manipulate objects without orders from the central brain. Even when one of their arms is amputated, the arm remains sensitive to touch and can still make simple movements as if they still possess their own "mind." The distributed system also increases the problem-solving capacity, memory, and intelligence of the octopus, enabling it to conduct complex operations like unlocking doors or navigating mazes.





Leeches






Leeches are special in that they don't possess one brain but instead have 32 ganglia, one per body segment. These ganglia enable each segment to act in a semi-autonomous manner, directing the movement and response of the part of the body. This segmented nervous system enables leeches to respond immediately to a stimulus like threat or food without the presence of a central brain. Their plasticity in their nervous system also allows them to stretch, shrink, and slip into small spaces effortlessly.





Starfish




Starfish are unique in the fact that they do not have any central brain whatsoever. Their nervous system, rather, is a nerve ring surrounding their mouth, and radial nerve nets branching into every arm. With this spread-out system, each arm is capable of receiving information about the environment and moving independently. If a starfish loses an arm, the cut-off limb will move independently for some time and even develop into a fresh arm. Starfish also have specialized cells all over their bodies which enable them to sense light, chemicals, and touch, giving them environmental perception without a central brain.





Cuttlefish




Cuttlefish, which are octopuses' and squids' cousins, possess a well-evolved nervous system with both large central brain and well-evolved ganglia in their arms. This is a sophisticated neural arrangement that allows them to achieve amazing things such as advanced camouflage, instantly and continuously changing their color and texture using pigment cells called chromatophores. Cuttlefish also possess large optic lobes that hold elaborate visual information, which is very important in communication and survival. Like octopuses, their arms can make complex movements, due to the other neural clusters in each limb, permitting independent control and coordination.




Spiders




Spiders, especially large tarantulas, possess an intriguing distributed nervous system in which ganglia—groupings of nerve cells that behave like a brain—reach down into their legs. This singular system enables spiders to respond very rapidly to threats or prey, sometimes even ahead of the central brain processing the signal. Their leg ganglia also have a crucial part in enhancing the precision of their movements so that they can effectively catch prey despite their size. Many spiders are also able to use their legs in detecting fine vibrations in their webs or in the surrounding environment, which is essential in detecting approaching prey or prospective mates. In terms of web-construction, these leg-based ganglia help govern the coordinated movements by which complex webs are spun with incredible precision. This decentralized nervous system renders spiders first-rate predators as well as accomplished engineers of their silk structures.





Cockroaches




Cockroaches have two brains—one in their head and another close to their abdomen. This configuration enables them to continue moving even when they lose their head, due to the control of movement by the second brain. Cockroaches utilize this system to move rapidly and remember objects, faces, and places. Their brains are smaller than those of humans, but they contain twice as many synapses, enabling them to store and process information. This enables cockroaches to be surprisingly responsive and adaptable even with their relatively small brain size.





Bumblebees




Bumblebees possess three brains: one manages their wings, another manages their stinger, and the third manages their antennae. This separation enables each section of their body to function effectively, improving their survival and mobility. These brains also enable bumblebees to remember patterns, like the positions of flowers, making them effective navigators. The capacity to identify and return to certain locations enables them to collect nectar and pollen effectively, which is vital to their survival. Their distributed brain system is the basis of their intelligence and efficacy in the environment.






Slugs




Slugs possess three brains in their esophagus that govern various components of their behavior. One brain assists with eating, another regulates movement and sense, and the third regulates breathing and respiration. Slugs, though simple, are very capable, with the ability to learn patterns and hold information like humans. This storage of memories is what sets them apart in the animal kingdom, with the capacity to learn from experience, improving their adaptability to surroundings. This distributed brain network makes slugs more sophisticated than they may appear at first.






Snails




Snails, as with slugs, possess more than a single brain, with a number of species containing up to six brains. Snails originally contained two groups of ganglia, which were responsible for different tasks such as movement, breathing, and consuming food. These groups merged into a unified nerve ring in most species over time. However, in certain primitive animals, the two groups never merge, but instead remain separated, and therefore they have six brains. Their brain structure in this way helps them perform very complex functions although they are quite small, as each brain or ganglion serves a critical purpose in their life.





Squids




There are three brains in squids: a primary brain that takes care of the body and two secondary brains (optic lobes) that work specifically for their eyes. These optic lobes enable the squid to process intricate visual information, a necessity for predator avoidance and prey capture. Squids utilize around 80% of their brain capacity to read visual information and are thus highly dependent on vision. This capacity for rapid response to the environment and adjustment to situations is, at least in part, a result of their specialized brain anatomy, allowing them to exhibit complex behaviors such as camouflage and quick motion.






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