Helminthoglyptinae


The Helminthoglyptinae are a subfamily of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks within the family Xanthonychidae.
This is a large and diverse group of new world snails, ranging in distribution from Alaska through North America to the West Indies, Central America, and as far south as Argentina.
The shells are typically of medium to large size, with no apertural teeth but usually with a reflected apertural lip.

Anatomy

In the species in this family, the diverticulum may be present or absent. They possess a single dart apparatus with one stylophore and two mucus glands. These snails use the love dart as part of their mating behavior.
In this subfamily, the number of haploid chromosomes lies between 26 and 30.

Taxonomy

The basic nomenclature and taxonomy of this large and complex subfamily of land snails has been the subject of many modifications, and the list of genera given here is applicable only when the subfamily is broadly interpreted. Many of these snail genera have been placed by various authors in more restrictively defined families, such as: Cepolidae, Epiphragmophoridae, Humboldtianidae, Monadeniidae, and Xanthonychidae.
Tribes in the subfamily Helminthoglyptinae include :
Subfamily Sonorellinae Pilsbry, 1939: the diverticulum and the dart apparatus are absent.

Genera

Genera within the subfamily Helminthoglyptinae include:
tribe Helminthoglyptini, subtribe Helminthoglyptina
tribe Helminthoglyptini, subtribe Micrariontina
tribe Sonorelicini
Sonorellinae
tribe ?