Molecular phylogeny of the western Palaearctic Helicoidea (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora)

- We investigated the molecular phylogeny of the western Palaearctic Helicoidea.
- Canariellidae and Geomitridae are recognized for the first time at family level.
- Cochlicellidae is here given tribe rank (Cochlicellini) within the Geomitridae.
- Ariantinae, Helicinae (with Theba) and Murellinae are recognized within the Helicidae.
- Palaearctic Helicoidea originated from two lineages diverging around 86 My ago.

The Helicoidea is one of the most diverse superfamilies of terrestrial land snails. In this study we present a molecular phylogeny of the western Palaearctic Helicoidea obtained by means of neighbor joining, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene fragment and the nuclear rRNA gene cluster including the 3′ end of the 5.8S gene, the complete ITS2 region and 5′ end of the large subunit 28S. Most of the morphologically-defined families were confirmed. We propose a revised phylogenetic classification so that families, subfamilies and tribes are monophyletic. The family Hygromiidae sensu Hausdorf and Bouchet (2005) is divided into three clades which are here given familial rank: Canariellidae and Geomitridae, which are recognized for the first time at familial rank, and Hygromiidae s.str. (including Ciliella and Trochulus) that is here restricted. The subfamilies Ciliellinae, Geomitrinae, Hygromiinae, Monachainae and Trochulinae recognized in current classifications were not recovered as monophyletic groups. The family Cochlicellidae is here given tribe rank (Cochlicellini) belonging to the Geomitridae. We describe a new tribe, Plentuisini. Three subfamilies are recognized within Helicidae: Ariantinae, Helicinae (including Theba) and Murellinae. New classification indicates that free right ommatophore retractor muscle arose only once within Geomitridae. The anatomy of the auxiliary copulatory organs of the reproductive system of families, subfamilies and tribes is highlighted. We estimate the origin of the Helicoidea at the end of the Early Cretaceous and its families as Late-Cretaceous to Paleogene. Western Palaearctic Helicoidea belongs to two different lineages that diverged around 86 Ma ago, both starting their diversification at the end of the Cretaceous (around 73-76 Ma). Radiation of some western Helicoidean families started during the Eocene.