What group of organisms frequently serves as the intermediate host for Acanthocephala?
Answer
Arthropods, such as crustaceans or insects.
The life cycle of the thorny-headed worms is indirect, mandating the involvement of an intermediate host for development from egg to the infective stage. For many species within the Acanthocephala phylum, the appropriate intermediate hosts are categorized as arthropods. This commonly includes various crustaceans or insects that ingest the eggs shed in the definitive host's feces. Once inside these arthropods, the parasites undergo necessary larval development to reach the cystacanth stage, making them infective to the next host.
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