Helicina (suborder)

Helicina is a suborder of land snails, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the order Cycloneritimorpha. This suborder contains a diverse range of snail families and species, primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.

The classification of Helicina has been subject to revision over time as taxonomic understanding evolves with new molecular and morphological data. Traditionally, Helicinida was a distinct order, but modern classification, based on phylogenetic analysis, places it as a suborder within Cycloneritimorpha.

Key characteristics of snails within the suborder Helicina include:

• Operculum: Most species possess an operculum, a structure that closes the shell aperture when the snail retracts, providing protection against desiccation and predation. The operculum's composition and form vary among different families within the suborder.
• Habitat: Predominantly terrestrial, these snails inhabit diverse habitats ranging from rainforests and woodlands to leaf litter and rock crevices.
• Respiration: Helicina snails are air-breathing land snails, relying on a lung-like structure for gas exchange.
• Diet: Generally, they are herbivorous or detritivorous, feeding on decaying plant matter, algae, and fungi.
• Shell Morphology: Shell shapes are highly variable within Helicina, ranging from flattened to globose, and exhibit diverse colors and ornamentation.
• Geographic Distribution: Primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions, with high diversity in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and parts of Asia and Oceania.

The suborder Helicina is of interest to researchers studying biodiversity, biogeography, and evolutionary relationships among land snails. Their sensitivity to environmental changes also makes them potentially useful indicators of habitat quality and ecosystem health.