Science & Nature · 2
What happens to an octopus's systemic heart when the animal swims?
Answer
It stops beating
When an octopus swims, the systemic heart — which pumps oxygenated blood to the body — stops beating entirely, which is why octopuses tire quickly and prefer crawling over sustained swimming.
💡 Did you know?
Octopuses have three hearts: two pump blood to the gills, one to the body. The heart pumping to the body stops beating when they swim.
Other options people guess
- It beats faster
- It beats more slowly
- It switches to pumping blood to the gills
Topics
- octopus
- marine-life
- biology
- physiology
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