1971  Lyrogoniatitinae Ruzhentsev & Bogoslovskaia: 272.
     1988  Lyrogoniatitinae.-Korn: 148.

A:   Shell form rather big, subdiscoidal or pachycone, moderately evolute to moderately involute. Umbilicus moderately wide. Some forms with umbilical seam covered by test material.
B-D:  Sculpture variable, some forms with umbilical notches. Lirae usually stronger than growth lines, sometimes  20 to 50 on the outer surface; constrictions usually wide and deep, especially on steinkern.

[The subfamily had been established (Ruzhentsev & Bogoslovskaia, 1971) as a subfamily of Cravenoceratidae, sorting out Lyrogoniatites and other neoglyphioceratids  from Neoglyphioceratidae. The arguments in regard to assumed different phylogenetic lineages in Neoglyphioceratidae, Cravenoceratinae and Lyrogoniatitinae are not followed herein.  The assignment of the closely related genera Neoglyphioceras, Lyrogoniatites and Pachylyroceras to different families is regarded herein as questionable].