Genus Lanistes MONTFORT, 1810

Species with a sinistral shell but the animals are dextral (hyperstrophic growth). Modern occurrence is limited to Africa (Nile Delta to Natal) and Madagascar (Brown 1994), fossil occurrence also includes Arabia (this article). The genus is hence exclusively Afrotropical (Africa + Arabia). The ampullariid genus Mesolanistes YEN, 1945 from Cretaceous-Palaeogene deposits in N. America and S. Asia bears no apparent relationship except that it is also sinistral.

Time range of Lanistes: (Palaeocene) Eocene-Modern (Mayer-Eymar 1893; Abbas 1967; Gautier 1973).