10 Animals With More Than One Brain

Imagine if your arms could think for themselves or if you could regrow a lost limb complete with its own nervous system. For these incredible animals, that's just everyday life. Their unique ways of processing information help them survive and thrive in ways that seem almost magical.

Animals With More Than One Brain

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes have three distinct brains: one in the head, one in the wings, and one in the abdomen. Each brain specialises in a function: the central brain controls overall body movements, the second manages flight, and the third handles leg coordination and digestion.

Snails

Snails have three to six brains, depending on the species. Their nervous system consists of paired ganglia that control movement, breathing, and feeding. In more primitive snail species, separate ganglia exist, resulting in six brains instead of three.

Starfish

Unlike most animals, starfish lack a central brain. Instead, they have a nerve ring around their mouth and nerve networks in each arm. This decentralised system allows them to coordinate movement, sense their environment, and even regenerate lost limbs.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches have two brains, one in the head and another in the abdomen. This is why they can continue moving for a short time even after being decapitated. Their dual-brain system allows them to react quickly, navigate obstacles efficiently, and even recognise objects. Interestingly, despite their small size, cockroaches have impressive memory and can learn from past experiences.

Octopus

Each of an octopus's eight arms has its own mini-brain that can taste, touch, and move independently. Even if an arm gets cut off, it can keep reaching and grabbing on its own for hours.

Squid

Squids have three brains, a central brain and two optic lobes dedicated to vision. Unlike human brains, their central brain is shaped like a donut, surrounding their oesophagus. Nearly 80% of a squid’s brainpower is used for processing visual information, making them some of the most visually intelligent animals in the ocean.

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Leeches

Leeches are famous for their bloodsucking tendencies, but few know that they have 32 brain-like ganglia (nerve clusters) throughout their bodies. Each segment of a leech operates semi-independently, making their movements flexible and efficient.

Spiders

Many spiders, especially large ones like tarantulas, have a distributed nervous system with ganglia in their legs. This setup allows them to react swiftly to threats, capture prey with precision, and sense vibrations with heightened accuracy. Some species also use these mini-brains to help coordinate web-building activities.

Silkworms

Silkworms possess 11 distinct brain lobes, an unusually high number for insects. Unlike most moths and butterflies, which have fused lobes forming a single brain, silkworms maintain separate structures.

Cuttlefish

A relative of the octopus, cuttlefish have a large central brain and additional neural clusters in their arms. Their sophisticated nervous system helps them rapidly change colours using specialised skin cells called chromatophores.

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Image Courtesy: Freepik