Palaeacanthocephala
Proboscis of a Rhadinorhynchus species
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Subkingdom:	Eumetazoa
(unranked):	Bilateria
Superphylum:	Platyzoa
Phylum:	Acanthocephala
Class:	Palaeacanthocephala A.Meyer, 1931
Orders
Echinorhynchida Polymorphida

Palaeacanthocephala ("ancient thornheads") is a class within the phylum Acanthocephala. The adults of these parasitic platyzoans feed mainly on fish, aquatic birds and mammals.

The nuclei of the hypodermis (outer layer of skin) are fragmented and the males have two to seven cement glands unlike their relatives the Archiacanthocephala which always have eight.

Wikispecies has information related to: Palaeacanthocephala

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