Hepatopancreas

The hepatopancreas, digestive gland or midgut gland is an organ of the digestive tract of arthropods and molluscs. It provides the functions which in mammals are provided separately by the liver and pancreas, including the production of digestive enzymes, and absorption of digested food.

Photo of a 5-mm-long juvenile of Haliotis asinina (with the shell removed) shows the yellow hepatopancreas on the left.

Drawing shows that the mantle (in grey) covers the majority of the dorsal surface of the animal. The gills (g), digestive gland (dg), adductor muscle (am), epipodial tentacles (ept), right mantle lobe (rml), eyespot (es), cephalic tentacles (ct) and left mantle lobe (lml) are indicated.

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