Ephyglotis in animals ?

[Externet]

Hello. 

The routing of food to the esophagus back of the larynx and air to the trachea on front...  Is that crossover path the same in all mammals?

[exchemist]

10 minutes ago, Externet said:

Hello. 

The routing of food to the esophagus back of the larynx and air to the trachea on front...  Is that crossover path the same in all mammals?

I should think it must be. I would expect this layout, with the oesophagus behind the lungs, to be common to all tetrapods. But I'm not a biologist.   

[TheVat]

Exbiologist here. The layout is the same in all vertebrates.  Air is priority.  Food coming down will automatically close the airway, in this arrangement, to ensure no aspiration.   (assuming no pathology)

 

[CharonY]

35 minutes ago, TheVat said:

Exbiologist here. The layout is the same in all vertebrates.  Air is priority.  Food coming down will automatically close the airway, in this arrangement, to ensure no aspiration.   (assuming no pathology)

 

I think there are mostly slight variations in mammals (IIRC horses, rodents and rabbits, perhaps others are obligate nose breathers as the epiglottis basically seals off the other passage). But I think only mammals actually have it. Birds and reptiles certainly don't. And well, animals without lungs are unlikely to have those, either.