Acanthocephali

Pronunciation: /ˌækənˈθoʊsəˌfælaɪ/

Definitions of acanthocephali

noun a phylum of parasitic worms characterized by a cylindrical proboscis with hooks for attaching to the host's intestines

Example Sentences

A1 Acanthocephali are a type of parasitic worm.

A2 The acanthocephali can cause harm to their host's intestines.

B1 Scientists study the life cycle of acanthocephali to better understand their impact on ecosystems.

B2 The presence of acanthocephali in the fish population has raised concerns among researchers.

C1 Research on acanthocephali has led to new insights into parasitology and host-parasite interactions.

C2 The complex reproductive strategies of acanthocephali have fascinated biologists for decades.

Examples of acanthocephali in a Sentence

formal The study of acanthocephali involves examining the parasitic worms found in the intestines of vertebrates.

informal I read an interesting article about acanthocephali, those weird worms that infect animals.

slang Have you heard about those creepy acanthocephali worms that live in fish?

figurative The corruption in the government can be likened to acanthocephali, slowly draining the resources of the country.

Grammatical Forms of acanthocephali

• plural: acanthocephali
• comparative: more acanthocephalic
• superlative: most acanthocephalic
• present tense: acanthocephalizes
• future tense: will acanthocephalize
• perfect tense: has acanthocephalized
• continuous tense: is acanthocephalizing
• singular: acanthocephalus
• positive degree: acanthocephali
• infinitive: to acanthocephalize
• gerund: acanthocephalizing
• participle: acanthocephalized

Origin and Evolution of acanthocephali

First Known Use: 0018 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'acanthocephali' originates from the Greek words 'akantha' meaning thorn or spine, and 'kephale' meaning head, referring to the spiny-headed appearance of these parasitic worms.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in the 18th century to describe a group of parasitic worms with spiny heads, the term 'acanthocephali' has since become the scientific name for the phylum Acanthocephala, encompassing various species of these parasites.