The morphology of a novel laryngeal cartilage in neotropical túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus)

Sound production in amphibians occurs within the larynx, a hollow organ which forms a passageway between the lungs and the oral cavity. Its cartilaginous framework consists of paired arytenoid cartilages and a single cricoid cartilage that together enclose the vocal cords. Past studies have revealed that in the genus of the túngara frog, the cartilaginous framework of the larynx is highly specialized. It has a greatly expanded cricoid cartilage, and previous studies in our lab indicate that it may even contain previously unknown cartilaginous structures