narrower whorls forming the centre of the shell and surrounded by the body whorl, usually it includes the protoconch whorls plus a few small teleoconch whorls. It is also used for the narrow whorls of the operculum. In heteropods spire is frequently used to distinguish between the large whorl(s) and the narrowly coiled central whorls.

Alternative forms for spire : spira, spired, spires.