thorny-headed worm; acanthocephalan
A parasitic worm of the phylum Acanthocephala, characterized by a spiny proboscis used to attach to the host's intestinal wall.
Thorny-headed worms parasitize the intestines of fish and birds.
The Japanese term 鉤頭虫 (こうとうちゅう) is a calque of the scientific name Acanthocephala, from Greek akantha 'thorn' + kephale 'head', referring to the spiny proboscis.