The acanthella is an intermediate stage in acanthocephalan development. The acanthella begins when the acanthor penetrates into the hemocoele of the intermediate host arthropod, and concludes when it has reached the infective cystacanth stage. Consequently, the appearance of an acanthella will depend on how old it is. The body wall is thick and many large nuclei are visible. At the anterior end (top of photo) is a relatively clear area in which a developing proboscis can be seen along the midline of the organism. The cluster of nuclei anterior to the proboscis will become the nerve ring of the adult. At the posterior end of the body cavity is a cluster of small cells that will become the reproductive organs of the adult.