The development of the digest ive system and its associated glands was examined histologically in Epinephelus coioides from the f irst day ( f irst day pos-t hatch) until 60th day after hatching. Specimens for this study were hatched f rom naturally spawned into artificially broodstock and maintained indoor cement tanks( 22. 0 - 27. 8 e ) . During the f irst 4 days after hatching, the formation of the oral jaw apparatus, lengthening of the digestive tube, the resorption of yolk sac, the digestive glands ( liver, gal-l bladder and pancreas) appearance, and muco sae differentiation are the most conspicuous elements of development . The larval digestive system is morphologically ready to process external food at the time of mouth opening ( 4 days after hatching) . The most noticeable events occurring during the following period of independent life are an increase in mucosal folding, cellular differentiation in the luminal epithelia, gut segmentation, liver growth and pancreas development. The digestive tract consists of clearly distinguishable oesophagus, stomach, intest ine and rectum. The major digestive glands include liver, gal-l bladder and pancreas. Then, these digest ive tract and digest ive glands become mature gradually, and complete the morphological digestive features characteristic of the juvenile stage with increasing age and feeding activity. The pancreas is composed of small independent masses in 4 days in larvae, and spread along the upper intestine with the larvae growth, but in the adult, it is difficult to discern. Although the entire larval period, from hatching to metamorphosis ( from larvae and juvenile stage to fry ) , was under consideration, the observations were concentrated on the most dynamic early stages of development occurring after hatching. It is expected that this information will improve our understanding of larval or juvenile digestion physiology and will be useful in design of opt imal rearing techniques and in the development of art ificial food for the larvae.