The african genus Lanistes (Montfort, 1810) contains 21 species.
The type species is Lansites carinatus (Olivier, 1804).
A distinguishable feature of the Lanistes genus is the sinistral shell (the shell is turned to the left), while the body is dextral. This paradox is called hyperstrophic sinistral.

Species

Lanistes bernardianus (Morelet, 1860) Lanistes carinatus (Olivier, 1804) Lanistes ciliatus (v. Martens, 1878) Lanistes congicus (O. Boettger, 1891) Lanistes ellipticus (v. Martens, 1866) Lanistes farleri (Craven, 1880) Lanistes graueri (Thiele, 1911) Lanistes intortus (v. Martens, 1877) Lanistes lybicus (Morelet, 1848) Lanistes nasutus (Mandahl-Barth, 1972) Lanistes neavei (Melvill & Standen, 1907) Lanistes neritoides (Brown & Berthold, 1990) Lanistes nsendweensis (Dupuis & Putzeys, 1901) Lanistes nyassanus (Dohrn, 1865) Lanistes ovum (Peters, 1845) Lanistes pseudoceratodes (Wenz, 1928) Lanistes purpureus (Jonas, 1839) Lanistes solidus (Smith, 1877) Lanistes stuhlmanni (v. Martens, 1897) Lanistes varicus (Müller, 1774)

Lansites ovum.   Lanistes lybicus.

Characteristics of the genus Lanistes:

	Shell:	surface:	smooth
		shape:	egg-shaped, globose
		direction:	left (hyperstrophic sinistral)
		whorls:	round base with flat upper part
		shell-opening (aperture):	round base, pointed top
		umbilicus:	narrow to wide
		colour:	yellow to brown with faint spiral bands
	Operculum:	corneous
	Body:	head (cephalic) tentacles:	long
		labial tentacles:	long
		breathing siphon:	short
		colour:	grey with darker spots
	Eggs:	aquatic

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