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So I built a stegosaurus model kit, which included some factoids in the instructions. One of these factoids was that stegosaurs are not believed to have had a secondary brain in the hips to help them control their rear half after all. That was wild to me, since the whole stegosaurs and sauropods with their tiny heads needing a secondary brain for their huge bodies was commonly accepted back when I was a kid. So I looked it up, and indeed, the current hypothesis is that the cavity that the second brain was thought to occupy is used for a thing called a glycogen body. But what exactly does a glycogen body do? We’ll get back to you on that, apparently.

  • acockworkorange@mander.xyzEnglish
    12·
    3 days ago

    I mean, yes, but… What other vertebrates have developed a secondary brain? That’s a big deal evolutionarily, considering all other vertebrates have the one.

        • marcos@lemmy.worldEnglish
          10·
          3 days ago

          No idea who you are talking about, but it’s well known that we have a really large and complex neuron structure spread through our digestive system.

          Nobody calls it a brain just because it’s not an organ.

          • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            3 days ago

            There is SO MUCH to unpack on this subject. We’re just now figuring out how our gut biome influences the rest of our body and mind, as if those are separate things. :)

    • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      139·
      3 days ago

      Turtles have two brains. The first brain is located in the head and controls the eyes, ears, mouth, and other senses. The second brain is located in the neck region and controls the legs, tail, and other body parts.

      The brain of a turtle is much like ours, except for one big difference: they don’t have any bones. Their skulls are made up of cartilage instead of bone. This means that their skulls are flexible and can change shape to adapt to different situations.

      Edit:

      Source 2:

      Turtles possess a unique protective shell, leading to questions about its nature. In fact, turtles do have bones, and their shell is an integral, living component of their skeletal system, not a separate structure they can leave. This remarkable shell provides comprehensive protection, housing all their internal organs.

      https://biologyinsights.com/do-turtles-have-bones-explaining-their-skeleton/

      Source 3:

      .

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle#/media/File:How_the_Turtle_Gets_its_Shell.svg

      Looks like turtles have bones and you all flunked biology class. I didn’t flunk, but I didn’t pass with flying colors, so I have no idea on any of this shit.

        • rowdy@piefed.socialEnglish
          161·
          3 days ago

          This isn’t true, the other poster’s source is likely AI generated. Turtles certainly have unique brain structures, but it’s still considered one brain with multiple regions. And these regions are all within the skull, not the neck.

          EDIT: Just read their source again and they state turtles don’t have bones. Wow.

          • Redfox8@mander.xyzEnglish
            71·
            3 days ago

            Haha I missed that clear horrendously nonsense statement! F-ing social media doom-scroll-disease! After all, what respectable vertebrate would lack any bones?!

          • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘@infosec.pubEnglish
            4·
            3 days ago

            It gets better. Apparently, we all have multiple brains.

            Animals with multiple brains include octopuses, cephalopods (squid), and even humans.

          • acockworkorange@mander.xyzEnglish
            41·
            3 days ago

            It says leeches have 32 brains, pea sized, with 400 neurons, and 500 different types of neurons. Yeah, that’s clearly bullshit.

        • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          33·
          3 days ago

          Sorry about that, I edited it in. I’m a little in shock that there are animals that have more than one brain.