The Echinoid Directory

Aristotle's lantern

The lantern is used for biting and rasping and is composed of 50 skeletal elements and worked by 60 muscles. It is almost entirely internal, although the tips of the teeth protrude out of the mouth. There are two major sets of muscles connecting the lantern to the test and these connect to the perignathic girdle. Protractor muscles pull the lantern out while retractor muscles withdraw the lantern. Powerful blocks of muscle between the hemipyramids close the jaws and provide the strong biting action.
Lantern structure
Types of lantern