Anatomy of finfish and shellfish

Unit 4 - Gastro Intestinal Tract OR Digestive system and associated digestive glands

4.2.2. Pancreas
Hag fishes have a small – pancreas with several ducts that empty into the bile duct. Lampreys have pancreatic tissue located through out the liver and intertinal wall. Among bony fishes the pancreatic tissue is usually diffused in or around the liver. This is especially true of spiny rayed fishes, in which the pancrease and liver incorporate in a “hapatapancrease”, in many of soft rayed bony fishes Pancreas is a distinct organ, in sharks and rays also the pancrease is a compact organ with two lobes. The pancreatic duct may reach the small intestine separately from the bile duct as in the sharks or may discharge into the bile duct as in the gar (lepisosteus). The pancreas secrets several enzymes, that are active in digestion. In addition the pancreatic islets have the endocrine function of producing insulin.