🦐 Digestive gland 🦞 Edible organ

hepatopancreas

1 9.9

A body organ in animals like crabs and snails that helps digest food and store energy

noun
/ˌhɛpətoʊˈpæŋkriəs/

Specialized

: hepatopáncreas

The hepatopancreas is crucial for digestion in crustaceans.

Examples

In some mollusks, the hepatopancreas stores energy and helps with digestion.
Scientists studied the hepatopancreas to understand how crabs process nutrients.
The hepatopancreas of the shrimp is essential for breaking down its food.
Many mollusks have a hepatopancreas that aids in nutrient absorption.
The hepatopancreas of the shrimp is essential for breaking down its food.
In some mollusks, the hepatopancreas stores energy and helps with digestion.
Scientists studied the hepatopancreas to understand how crabs process nutrients.

Surface Forms

hepatopancreas singular

hepatopancreases plural

Morphology

hepatopancreas = pancreas (semi-transparent) = hepato + pancreas

The combining element 'hepato-' is a technical medical form (not a common standalone word), so the compound's meaning (liver + pancreas functions) is inferable to those with medical knowledge but not obvious to general learners.

Etymology

Hepatopancreas comes from two parts: hepato- meaning 'liver' and pancreas meaning 'pancreas' or 'organ that makes digestive juices'. So a hepatopancreas is an organ in animals like crabs and shrimp that does the job of both a liver and a pancreas.