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Acanthocephala
Spiny-headed worms, a phylum of worms parasitic (see parasite) on vertebrates such as fish and birds. Named for the retractable proboscis, which bears tiny hooks that anchor them to the intestinal walls of their hosts, these worms are so degenerate that most have little more than a reproductive system and a simple brain. They often cause fatal infection. The young are parasitic in arthropods and the adults, which are typically 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in.) long and have an elongated, cylindrical body, are parasitic in vertebrates.
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• ZOOLOGY
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