Pharynx

The buccal cavity leads into a short pharynx, a passage shared by both food and air. Air passes from the pharynx into the trachea through an opening called the glottis, which is guarded by a flexible, cartilaginous flap, the epiglottis. During swallowing (deglutition), the epiglottis folds down and closes the glottis, preventing food from entering the trachea. The lower part of the pharynx, called the **oroph …