Spiraxidae


Spiraxidae is a family of predatory air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropods in the superfamily Testacelloidea.

Distribution

The distribution of this family is Neotropical.

Taxonomy

2005 taxonomy

The family Spiraxidae is classified within the informal group Sigmurethra, itself belonging to the clade Stylommatophora within the clade Eupulmonata.
The family Spiraxidae consists of the following subfamilies:
  • Spiraxinae H. B. Baker, 1939
  • Micromeninae Schileyko, 2000

2010 taxonomy

Thompson redefined subfamilies in the Spiraxidae, moving Euglandininae and Streptostylinae to become subfamilies of Spiraxidae. According to their work, there are three subfamilies within the Spiraxidae:
  • Spiraxinae H. B. Baker, 1939 - including Micromena
  • Euglandininae H. B. Baker, 1941
  • Streptostylinae H. B. Baker, 1941
Apparently this system of classification is not universally accepted, as Fauna Europaea uses different systematics for the subfamily Euglandininae, still placing it within the family Oleacinidae.

Genera

Genera in the family Spiraxidae include:
Subfamily Spiraxinae include seven genera:Mayaxis Thompson, 1995Micromena H. B. Baker, 1939 - this was the type genus of the subfamily MicromeninaeMiraradula Baker, 1939Pseudosubulina Strebel & Pfeffer, 1882Rectaxis Baker, 1926Spiraxis C. B. Adams, 1850 - type genus of family SpiraxidaeVolutaxis Strebel & Pfeffer, 1882
Subfamily EuglandininaeEuglandina Crosse & P. Fischer, 1870 - type genus of the subfamily EuglandininaeGuillarmodia H. B. Baker, 1941Pittieria von Martens, 1901Poiretia Fischer, 1883Varicoglandina Pilsbry, 1908Varicoturris Pilsbry, 1907
Subfamily StreptostylinaeMyxastyla Thompson, 1995Oryzosoma Pilsbry, 1891Salasiella Strebel, 1877Strebelia Crosse & Fischer, 1868Streptostyla Shuttleworth, 1852 - type genus of the subfamily Streptostylinae

Ecology

These land snails are carnivorous and predatory.