10 
Psyche 
[Vol. 90 
full significance of the discovery emerged. It became immediately 
apparent, based on fore wing characters, that the type genus (Sthe- 
naropoda) for the family Sthenaropodidae^ is inseparable from 
Gerarus. The consequences of this are twofold: 1) it extends the 
geographic range of the Geraridae from North America to Europe, 
strongly suggesting that the family was once large and successful; 
and 2) the synonymy casts serious doubts on current classifications 
of Paleozoic orthopteroids such as those proposed by Sharov (1968) 
and Rasnitsyn (1980). The implications of this are addressed in the 
discussion section at the end of this paper. 
Geological range: Carboniferous — Westphalian D to Stephan- 
ian. Occurrence: Mazon Creek, Illinois, U.S.A.; Commentry, 
France. Type genus: Gerarus. 
Synonymies 
The families Genopterygidae and Sthenaropodidae are synony- 
mized here with the Geraridae, since 1 find no unique characters by 
which to recognize them as independent taxa. All major veins and 
body characters are in complete agreement with the definition of the 
Geraridae. Although the Genopterygidae are described from the 
hind wing alone, and this synonymy may therefore change as addi- 
tional material is found, the venational similarities between Genop- 
teryx and Gerarus are striking (see fig. 7). This, in my mind, is 
sufficient reason at this time to synonymize these families. The syn- 
onymy of the Sthenaropodidae with the Geraridae is based not only 
on the venation of both wings, but also on the prothorax (complete 
with spines) and body size. The two families are so similar in charac- 
ter that synonymy at the species level could almost be justified were 
it not for their separation both geologically and geographically. 
^The Sthenaropodidae, like the Geraridae, were the focus of taxonomic work 
largely at the turn of the century. Brongniart first described Sthenaropoc/a (based on 
S. fischeri) in 1885 and placed it with a series of other Carboniferous Protorthoptera 
in the family Paleoacridiodea. Eight years later he synonymized Sthenaropoda with 
Oedischia (now recognized as belonging to the Orthoptera), believing their differ- 
ences too slight to warrant generic separation. In 1906 Handlirsch restored the genus 
Sthenaropoda and placed it in its own family. His decision was later defended by 
both Lameere (1917) and Sharov (1968), who felt that the oedischiids, by virtue of 
their saltatorial legs, were true Orthoptera, and that the sthenaropodids, which 
lacked well-developed jumping legs, were clearly members of the Protorthoptera. 
The ramifications of this are discussed in the concluding pages of this paper. 
