Acanthocephala (redirected from Acamthocephala)

Acanthocephala /Acan·tho·ceph·a·la/ (ah-kan?tho-sef´ah-lah) a phylum of elongate, mostly cylindrical organisms (thorny-headed worms) parasitic in the intestines of all classes of vertebrates; in some classifications, considered to be a class of the phylum Nemathelminthes.

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A·can·tho·ceph·a·la (-knth-sf-l)

n.

Any of various worms of the phylum Acanthocephala that live parasitically in the intestines of vertebrates and are characterized by a cylindrical, retractile proboscis that bears many rows of hooked spines. Also called spiny-headed worm.

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a·cantho·cepha·lan (-ln), a·cantho·cepha·lid (-ld) adj.

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Acanthocephala

a phylum of elongate, mostly cylindrical organisms (thorny-headed worms) parasitic in the intestines of all classes of vertebrates.