Australian Biological Resources Study

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Family HELICINIDAE


Compiler and date details

1992 - B.J. Smith

Introduction

These top-shaped, operculate snails are terrestrial members of the gastropod clade Neritomorpha (or Neritopsina). They are are found mainly in the tropical regions of the Greater Antilles and in the Indo-Pacific region.

The family is absent from Europe, Africa, most of Asia, New Zealand, Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands and most of Australia (Solem 1959). Australian species are found mainly in tropical rainforest or vine forest habitats of north-eastern Australia, where some are arboreal and others are associated with limestone outcrops. They typically have brightly coloured shells with most species showing variation in their colour patterns. An operculum is present and has an outer calcerous layer and, unlike that of many other neritopsines, lacks a peg on its inner surface, although sometimes a ridge is present. Some related taxa not found in Australia lack an operculum. There is no modern revision of the Australian species, but Scott & Kenny (1998) summarised the available information on the family.

The following species should be excluded from the Australian fauna according to Iredale (1937: 293): Helicina crassidens Tate, 1899; Helicina fulgurata Cox, 1868; Helicina suprafasciata Sowerby, 1874; Helicina turbinella Pfeiffer, 1855. Iredale (1945: 49) also excluded Helicina norfolkensis Pfeiffer, 1856 and Helicina pictella Pfeiffer, 1856.

 

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

HELICINIDAE: Helicina crassidens Tate, 1899 [American] — Iredale, T. 1937. A basic list of the land Mollusca of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8: 287-333 [12 Mar. 1937] [293]

HELICINIDAE: Helicina fulgurata Cox, 1868 [Fiji] — Iredale, T. 1937. A basic list of the land Mollusca of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8: 287-333 [12 Mar. 1937] [293]

HELICINIDAE: Helicina norfolkensis Pfeiffer, 1856 — Iredale, T. 1945. The land Mollusca of Norfolk Island. The Australian Zoologist 11: 46-71 [49]

HELICINIDAE: Helicina pictella Pfeiffer, 1856 — Iredale, T. 1945. The land Mollusca of Norfolk Island. The Australian Zoologist 11: 46-71 [49]

HELICINIDAE: Helicina suprafasciata Sowerby, 1875 [probably Vanuatu] — Iredale, T. 1937. A basic list of the land Mollusca of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8: 287-333 [12 Mar. 1937] [293]

HELICINIDAE: Helicina turbinella Pfeiffer, 1855 [non Australian] — Iredale, T. 1937. A basic list of the land Mollusca of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8: 287-333 [12 Mar. 1937] [293]

HELICINIDAE: Pleuropoma zebriolata Pfeiffer, 1855 — Solem, A. 1959. Systematics of the land and freshwater Mollusca of the New Hebrides. Fieldiana Zoology 43: 1-234 [179]

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
10-Dec-2023 NERITIMORPHA Golikov & Starobogatov, 1975 10-Dec-2023 MODIFIED Dr Mandy Reid
15-Sep-2023 NERITIMORPHA Golikov & Starobogatov, 1975 03-Nov-2023 MODIFIED
22-Jan-2015 NERITOIDEA 10-Dec-2023 MODIFIED Mr Des Beechey (AM) Ms Anouk Mututantri (AM)
28-Mar-2012 28-Mar-2012 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)