Helicidae

Taxobox
name = Helicidae

---

image_width = 225px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Heterobranchia
ordo = Pulmonata
superfamilia = Helicoidea
familia = Helicidae
familia_authority = Rafinesque, 1815
subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies
subdivision =
Ariantinae
Helicinae

The Helicidae, sometimes known as the typical snails, are a taxonomic family of small to large, air-breathing, land snails. In other words, they are terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks.

They are defined by the presence of a diverticulum. They have one dart apparatus for their mating behavior. The dart sac has no accessory sac and contains two , tubular glands, inserted at the base of the dart sac. Some genera within this family create and use love darts as part of their mating behavior.

Several species in this family are edible, including "Helix aspersa" the garden snail, and "Helix pomatia" the "escargot".

Distribution

The family is native to Eurasia and belongs the Western Palearctic group..

However some of the species, such as for example "Helix aspersa", have been introduced and become established in numerous different places worldwide.

Many accidental introductions happen because the eggs of most Helicidae are laid in the soil, and they may thus easily travel unnoticed along with landscaping plants.

hell description

The shells of these snails are mostly rather globular in shape. In some genera, such as "Cepaea", the shells are brightly colored and patterned.

ubfamilies and genera within the family Helicidae

After Fauna Europaea [ [http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=11479 Fauna Europaea] ] and Taxonomy Browser [ [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Undef&id=6533&lvl=3&p=has_linkout&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Taxonomy Browser] ] the family Helicidae includes the following subfamilies, tribus and genera:

Subfamily Ariantinae Mörch, 1864 : in this subfamily the glands are divided or undivided. The love darts contain tow to four blades. There is only one penial papilla.:"Arianta" Turton, 1831:"Causa":"Chilostoma" Fitzinger, 1833:"Cylindrus" Fitzinger, 1833:"Drobacia":"Faustina" :"Helicigona" A. Férussac, 1821:"Isognomostoma" Fitzinger, 1833:"Vidovicia"Subfamily Helicinae afinesque, 1815 : In this subfamily the glands are divided. The love dart contains four blades.There are two penial papillae.
*Tribe Thebini small> Wenz, 1923 (the synonym Euparyphinae Perrot, 1939 has been declared an invalid name):"Theba" Risso, 1826 - "Theba pisana" (O. F. Müller, 1774)
*Tribe Helicini Rafinesque, 1815 :"Allognathus":"Assyriella":"Cantareus" Risso, 1826:"Cepaea" Held, 1838:"Codringtonia":"Cornu" Born, 1778:"Eobania" P. Hesse, 1913:"Helix" Linnaeus, 1758:"Hemicycla":"Iberus":"Idiomela" T. Cockerell, 1921:"Lampadia":"Leptaxis":"Levantina":"Otala" Schumacher, 1817:"Pseudotachea":"Tyrrhenaria"
*Tribe Murellini Hesse, 1918 :"Macularia":"Marmorana" W. Hartmann, 1844 :"Tacheocampylaea":"Tyrrheniberus"

References

* M.P. Kerney & R.A.D. Cameron, 1979, a field guide to the land snails of Britain and northwestern Europe, Collins, London

External links

* [http://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id2958/ taxonomy of Helicidae at BioLib]