Urocoptidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Urocoptoidea. <ref name="WoRMS">MolluscaBase eds. (2026). MolluscaBase. Urocoptidae Pilsbry, 1898 (1868). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=932609 on 2026-07-02
Taxonomy 2005 taxonomy The family Urocoptidae was classified in the superfamily Orthalicoidea (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).
The family Urocoptidae consists of 7 subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005): Urocoptinae Pilsbry, 1898 (1868) - synonym: Cylindrellidae Tryon, 1868 Apomatinae Paul, 1982 Brachypodellinae H. B. Baker, 1956 Eucalodiinae P. Fischer & Crosse, 1873 Holospirinae Pilsbry, 1946 Microceraminae Pilsbry, 1904 - synonyms: Johaniceraminae Jaume & de la Torre, 1972; Macroceraminae Jaume & de la Torre, 1972 Tetrentodontinae Bartsch, 1943
2008 taxonomy Uit de Weerd (2008) moved the Urocoptidae to the newly established superfamily Urocoptoidea based on molecular phylogeny research.
The following cladogram based on Bayesian analysis of sequences of 28S ribosomal RNA shows the phylogenic relations within the Urocoptoidea. There are up to 2008 genetically analyzed species of Urocoptidae and one species of Cerionidae marked in khaki color in the cladogram.
2012 taxonomy Fred G. Thompson established the family Epirobiidae in 2012 for five genera of snails (Epirobia, Propilsbrya, Pectinistemma, Gyrocion, Prionoloplax), that were previously placed within Urocoptidae.Thompson F. G. (2012). "The land snail genus Epirobia and allied genera in México and Central America, with the description of a new family, the Epirobiidae (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Urocoptoidea)". Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 51: 167-215. PDF. Data from molecular phylogeny research as well as morphology supports monophyly of Holospiridae Pilsbry, 1946 and the Eucalodiidae Crosse & Fischer, 1868.
Genera Genera in the family Urocoptidae include:
Brachypodellinae Apoma H. Beck, 1837 Brachypodella Beck, 1837 - type genus of the subfamily Brachypodellinae Cyclauchen Pilsbry, 1930 Geoscala Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Ischnostrophina Pilsbry, 1933 Mychostoma Albers, 1850 Simplicervix Pilsbry, 1903
Urocoptinae Acrocoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Allocoptis Thompson & Franz, 1976 Amphicosmia Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Amphistemma C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Anafecoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Angulicervix Pilsbry, 1933 Anoma Albers, 1850 Arangia Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Archegocoptis Pilsbry, 1903 Autocoptis Pilsbry, 1902 Bactrocoptis Pilsbry, 1902 Badiofaux Pilsbry, 1941 Bialasmus C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Brachypodella L. Pfeiffer, 1840 (as Cylindrella) Bostrichocentrum Strebel, 1879 : synonym of Holospira E. von Martens, 1860 Brevipedella Pilsbry, 1903 Callocoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Callonia Crosse & P. Fischer, 1870 Capillacea C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Carcinostemma C. de la Torre & Jaume, 1972 Centralia de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Cochlodinella Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Esochara Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Fibricutis Pilsbry, 1903 Geminicoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Gongylostoma Albers, 1850 Gyraxis Pilsbry, 1903 Heterocoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Idiostemma Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Insulaceramus Clench, 1967 Johaniceramus C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Levistemma C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Liocallonia Pilsbry, 1902 Liparotes Pilsbry, 1903 Maceo Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Macroceramus Guilding, 1828 Microceramus Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 - type genus of the subfamily Microceraminae Nesocoptis Pilsbry, 1941 Nodulia C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Organocoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Orienticoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Paracallonia Pilsbry, 1903 Pfeiffericoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Pineria Poey, 1854 Planostemma C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Pleurostemma C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Poecilocoptis Pilsbry, 1941 Poeycoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Pseudopineria Aguayo, 1938 Pycnoptychia Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Sagracoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Sectilumen Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Spiroceramus Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Spirostemma Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Steatocoptis Pilsbry, 1941 Strophina Mörch, 1852 Teneria C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Tenuistemma C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Tetrentodon Pilsbry, 1903 - type genus of the subfamily Tetrentodontinae Tomelasmus Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1898 Torrecoptis Bartsch, 1943 Trilamellaxis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Uncinicoptis C. de la Torre & Bartsch, 1972 Urocoptis Beck, 1837 - type genus of the family Urocoptidae
Urocoptidae incertae sedis (temporary name) Habeas Simone, 2013
References
Further reading ; 7 figs. Carlos de la Torre. 1912. New Cuban Urocoptis of the U. cinerea group. The Nautilus, volume 26, number 4, pages 55-58, plate 6. Pilsbry H. A. & Henderson J. B. jr. (February 1913). Two new Cuban Urocoptidae. The Nautilus, volume 26, number 10, pages 109-110. Miguel L. Jaume & Alfredo de la Torre. 1976. Los Urocoptidae de Cuba (Mollusca-Pulmonata). Série 4: Ciencias biologicas; no. 53. La Habana, Cuba: Centro de Información Cientifica y Tecnica, 122 pp.
Richardson C. L. 1991. Urocoptidae: catalogue of species. Tryonia 22: 1–245. Tryon G. W. (1903) Manual of Conchology. Second series: Pulmonata. Volume 15. Urocoptidae. Continued by H. A. Pilsbry.
External links
photos photos blog Bram's Snail Site with photos