Acanthocephala
Sign in to saveAcanthocephala (Greek , '''' 'thorn' + , '''' 'head') is a group of parasitic worms known as acanthocephalans, thorny-headed worms, or spiny-headed worms, characterized by the presence of an eversible proboscis, armed with spines, which it uses to pierce and hold the gut wall of its host. Acanthocephalans have complex life cycles, involving at least two hosts, which may include invertebrates, fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals. About 1,420 species have been described.
AI overview
Acanthocephala is a group of parasitic worms with a distinctive spiny, hook-like head that they use to attach to and pierce the intestines of their hosts, which can range from insects to mammals. These worms have complicated life cycles that require at least two different hosts to complete, and scientists have identified about 1,420 different species so far.
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Article
20 sectionsContents
- History
- Evolutionary history
- Phylogeny
- Morphology
- Digestion
- Proboscis
- Size
- Skin
- Nervous system
- Life cycles
- Reproduction
- Release
- Host control
- Effects on hosts
- Economic impact
- Human infections
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Acanthocephala (Greek , '''' 'thorn' + , '''' 'head') is a group of parasitic worms known as acanthocephalans, thorny-headed worms, or spiny-headed worms, characterized by the presence of an eversible proboscis, armed with spines, which it uses to pierce and hold the gut wall of its host. Acanthocephalans have complex life cycles, involving at least two hosts, which may include invertebrates, fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals. About 1,420 species have been described.
The Acanthocephala were long thought to be a discrete phylum. Recent genome analysis has shown that they are descended from, and should be considered as, highly modified rotifers. This unified taxon is sometimes known as Syndermata, or simply as Rotifera, with the acanthocephalans described as a subclass of a rotifer class Hemirotatoria.