A continuation of the pharynx that is involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration.
Comment:
[homology-note] "(In anura) a dorsal pair of arytenoid cartilages (...), which support vocal cords, and a ventral pair (often fused) of cricoid cartilage (...). These cartilages are regarded as derivatives of posterior visceral arches of ancestors. Together they constitute the larynx, a structure characteristic of tetrapods. (...) (In mammals) Paired arytenoid cartilages help support and control the vocal cords. The cricoid cartilage is single. Two additional cartilages are present that are lacking in other vertebrates: a large ventral thyroid cartilage (...) and a cartilage in the epiglottis.[well established][VHOG]" xsd:string {date_retrieved="2012-09-17", external_class="VHOG:0001279", ontology="VHOG", source="ISBN:978-0471090588 Hildebrand M, Analysis of vertebrate structure (1983) p.239-241", source="http://bgee.unil.ch/"}