Cearagryllinae

Subfamily Cearagryllinae Martins-Neto n. subfam.

Diagnosis. Male tegmen with trapezoidal to square-rounded speculum and two specular veins (sp1 and sp2). Diagonal vein strongly deflected to CuA. Presence of the d-am veinlet connecting the anterior margin of the speculum to d2. Area between the anterolateral margin of the speculum and CuP at the chords filled with several perpendicular cross-veins. Females with robust body and long setiform ovipositor; cerci smaller than the ovipositor.

Genera included. Cearagryllus Martins-Neto, 1991; Santanagryllus Martins-Neto, 1991; Notocearagryllus Martins-Neto, 1998; Allocearagryllus n. gen.; Cryptocearagryllus n. gen., and possibly Anglogryllus Gorochov et al, 2006 (males); Cearagrylloides n. gen. and Paracearagryllus n. gen. (females).

Discussion. The most typical representative of the subfamily, the type genus Cearagryllus, was interpreted by Gorochov (1995) as belonging to the Baissogryllinae Gorochov based on plesiomorphic characters (several specular veins and general shape of the speculum). Cearagryllus exhibits an unique set of apomorphic characters that distinguish it from all other Cretaceous baissogryllid-like ensiferans, such as the double diagonal veins, the d2 deflection and the presence of the veinlet d-am, which justify its inclusion in a distinct subfamily, as proposed here. The two genera proposed for female species are included in the subfamily on the basis of the great similarity of body shape to that of the males. The ovipositor length, apomorphic for this group, and the notably short cerci are characteristics that distinguish this female group from all other known female grylloids.