Apororhynchus is a genus of small, parasitic spiny-headed (or thorny-
headed) worms, the only genus in the order Apororhynchida. A lack of
features commonly found in Acanthocephala suggests an evolutionary
branching from the other three orders of class Archiacanthocephala. The
distinguishing features of this order are a highly enlarged proboscis
containing small hooks, and differently structured musculature around
this proboscis in its receptacle and receptacle protrusor. The genus
contains six species that are distributed globally, being collected
sporadically in Hawaii, Europe, North America, South America, and Asia.
These worms exclusively parasitize birds by attaching themselves around
the cloaca using their hooks and adhesives secreted from cement glands.
The bird hosts are of different orders, including owls, waders, and
passerines. Infection by an Apororhynchus species may cause enteritis
and anemia.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apororhynchus>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1773:
On James Cook's second voyage, his ship HMS Resolution became
the first vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_voyage_of_James_Cook>
1920:
The Volstead Act went into effect, beginning the prohibition of
alcohol in the United States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States>
1945:
Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who had saved thousands of
Jews from the Holocaust, was taken into Soviet custody during the Siege
of Budapest and was never seen in public again.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Wallenberg>
1948:
Indonesian National Revolution: The Renville Agreement between
the Netherlands and Indonesian republicans was ratified, in an
ultimately unsuccessful attempt to resolve disputes arising from the
Linggadjati Agreement of 1946.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renville_Agreement>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
snatch and run:
An unsophisticated method of committing robbery by grabbing someone's
property and attempting to flee with it.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/snatch_and_run>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you don't matter, or
like you don't have a place in our American story — because you do.
And you have a right to be exactly who you are. But I also want to be
very clear: This right isn't just handed to you. No, this right has to
be earned every single day. You cannot take your freedoms for granted.
Just like generations who have come before you, you have to do your part
to preserve and protect those freedoms.
--Michelle Obama
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Michelle_Obama>
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