Definition of "acanthocephalan"

That discussion of fish intestines is justified because many acanthocephalans have been described from fish.

1970, D. W. T. Crompton, An Ecological Approach to Acanthocephalan Physiology‎, page 25

Clearly acanthocephalans contain large amounts of lipid and possess enzyme systems for lipid metabolism (Filipponi et al., 1994; Weber et al., 1995); however, use of these lipid deposits in energy metabolism is yet to be demonstrated.

2006, B. B. Nickol, Phylum Acanthocephala, P. T. K. Woo (editor), Fish Diseases and Disorders, Volume 1: Protozoan and Metazoan Infections, 2nd Edition, page 458

Acanthocephalans are dioecious pseudocoelomate worms remarkably adapted to a parasitic lifestyle in that there is no mouth or digestive system.

2009, Dennis J. Richardson, Brent B. Nickol, “15: Acanthocephala”, in Carter T. Atkinson, Nancy J. Thomas, D. Bruce Hunter, editors, Parasitic Diseases of Wild Birds, page 277