Spiraxidae is a family of predatory air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropods in the superfamily Testacelloidea (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).

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 (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).

The family Spiraxidae consists of the following subfamilies: Spiraxinae H. B. Baker, 1939 Micromeninae Schileyko, 2000

2010 taxonomy Thompson (2010), PDF . 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."Poiretia P. Fischer 1883". Fauna Europaea, accessed 17 January 2011.

Genera Genera in the family Spiraxidae include:

Subfamily Spiraxinae include seven genera: Mayaxis Thompson, 1995 Micromena H. B. Baker, 1939 - this was the type genus of the subfamily Micromeninae Miraradula Baker, 1939 Pseudosubulina Strebel & Pfeffer, 1882 Rectaxis Baker, 1926 Spiraxis C. B. Adams, 1850 - type genus of family Spiraxidae Volutaxis Strebel & Pfeffer, 1882

Subfamily Euglandininae Euglandina Crosse & P. Fischer, 1870 - type genus of the subfamily Euglandininae Guillarmodia H. B. Baker, 1941Thompson F. G. (16 June 2008). "AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST AND BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE LAND AND FRESHWATER SNAILS OF MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA". "PART 4 PULMONATA (ACHATINOIDEA-SAGDOIDEA)". accessed 14 January 2011. Pittieria von Martens, 1901 Poiretia Fischer, 1883 Varicoglandina Pilsbry, 1908 Varicoturris Pilsbry, 1907

Subfamily Streptostylinae Myxastyla Thompson, 1995 Oryzosoma Pilsbry, 1891 Salasiella Strebel, 1877 Strebelia Crosse & Fischer, 1868 Streptostyla Shuttleworth, 1852 - type genus of the subfamily Streptostylinae

Ecology These land snails are carnivorous and predatory.

References