Gross and histological study of the larynx in red sokoto goat (Capra hircus) from Sokoto, Nigeria

Small ruminants are very important in securing food security and are economically significant in the rural community especially in the west African country. The larynx serves as both airway passage and organ of vocalization, which are associated with their own pathology and diseases. In the current study, 9 specimens of larynxes from apparently healthy red sokoto goats were obtained from Sokoto Modern abattoir, dissected, and morphologically and histologically evaluated. The results showed the larynx is a firm irregular tubular structure situated in between the ramii of the mandible with the laryngeal muscles are intertwined in between the cartilages. The rostral aspect of the larynx forms the caudal border of the pharynx while the caudal end of the larynx continues as the trachea. The thyroid cartilage is the largest while arytenoids are the smallest.  Histologically, the thyroid, arytenoids and cricoid are of the hyaline cartilage while the epiglottis is made up of the elastic cartilage. This research work focus on evaluating the gross and microscopic anatomy of the larynx, thus, providing information for future use in both anatomical studies and clinical applications.