1965  Christioceratinae Nassichuk & Furnish: 725.
     1978  Christioceratidae.-Ruzhentsev & Bogoslovskaia: 63.

Superfamily Schistocerataceae Schmidt, 1929:

A:   Conch form discoidal to thick-discoidal; evolute, usually with wide umbilicus, to moderately involute, with narrow
      umbilicus. Triangular coiling of early whorls common in some groups.
B:   Shell surface smooth, or reticulate; growth lines sinuous, with ventral sinus.
C:   Early whorls may exhibit riblike nodes on umbilical shoulder, extending to biconvex growth striae.
G:   Suture-line like Gastricocerataceae, but with the following tendencies in the course of phylogeny:
      (1) median saddle becoming as high as entire ventral lobe; (2) ventral lobe becoming wide, in some forms
      giving rise to additional sutural elements or subelements (Welleritidae); (3) umbilical portion of suture
      (between [Germ.] L and U, [Russ.] U and I, in some genera giving rise to additional sutural elements:
      [Germ.] (E1EmE1)AL:UI --> (E1EmE1)ALU2:U1I --> E1EmE1ALU2vU2mU2dU1I, [Russ.] (V1V1)LU:ID
      --> (V1V1)LU1:U2ID --> (V1V1)LU1U2.2U2.1:U2.2ID (Schistoceratidae, Welleritidae, Christioceratidae);
      (4) trifurcation of lobes (Schistoceratidae, Christioceratidae).

Family Christioceratidae Nassichuk & Furnish, 1965:

A:   Conch form discoidal, evolute; at maturity moderately evolute, with ventral groove.
B:   Sculpture on early whorls consisting of prominent ribs extending from umbilicus to ventral side.
G:   Trifurcation of lateral and umbilical lobes.