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In nature, where can "Aristotle's lantern" be found?

Question #151620. Asked by psnz.
Last updated Aug 18 2024.
Originally posted Aug 18 2024 8:13 PM.

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BigTriviaDawg star
Answer has 2 votes
BigTriviaDawg star
7 year member
1007 replies avatar

Answer has 2 votes.
Aristotle's lantern is the mouth structure of a sea urchin or a sand dollar.
The mouth, on the underside of the body, has a complex dental apparatus called Aristotle’s lantern, which also may be venomous. The teeth of Aristotle’s lantern are typically extruded to scrape algae and other food from rocks, and some urchins can excavate hiding places in coral or rock—even in steel. Sea urchins live on the ocean floor, usually on hard surfaces, and use the tube feet or spines to move about. In addition, a few carnivorous species have been described.

link https://www.britannica.com/science/Aristotles-lantern

Aristotle is believed to have been the first to study the structure of the Urchin's mouth and thus why it is named after him. As for why it is called a lantern is due to the resemblance of a later, or at least one from over 2,000 years ago.

The below site has some excellent photos of the bone structure of an Aristotle's lantern.

link https://themarinedetective.com/2020/09/13/aristotles-lantern/

Response last updated by BigTriviaDawg on Aug 18 2024.
Aug 18 2024, 8:16 PM
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