(WWTI) – Nine brains, three hearts and eight legs — no its not an alien — it’s World Octopus Day.

The name ‘octopus’ comes from the Greek word ‘októpus,’ meaning ‘eight foot.’ Octopuses/Ocopi have eight appendages, which can often have suction cups at the bottom. Each appendage has clusters of neurons in them, which allow different arms to do different tasks simultaneously. These neuron clusters are considered to be brains; thus, they have nine brains, having a central one that controls their nervous system and one in each arm.

Next on the list of freaky biology, they have three hearts. Two move blood to the gills and the other heart pumps blood through the rest of the body. These sea creatures are highly intelligent and have been known to perform tasks from opening jars to using tools, they are incredibly flexible, great at hiding and can be found in oceans worldwide.

Octopuses/Ocopi– no matter how strange compared to us — are visually stunning, coming in various colors, a multitude of sizes and all sorts of shapes. Some live in very shallow waters, while others can be found thousands of meters below the surface where light is hard to come by. They are often also capable of changing colors to blend in with their surroundings as a form of protection against predators.

Although it’s unlikely that you will find an octopus wandering around Northern New York waters – unless it is very lost. That being said, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo has a giant pacific octopus, enteroctopus dofleini, on display, which stands as the largest species of octopus. To learn more about this species and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo you can visit their website and get educated about this massive invertebrate.

Happy World Octopus Day!