Recent systematic and morphological studies on the family Noteridae have suggested that the Neotropical species Noterus buqueti Laporte, 1835 does not fit within the generic limits of Noterus Clairville, 1806 or any other currently described genera within the family. The burrowing water beetle genus Canthysellus Baca and Toledo, new genus (Coleoptera: Noteridae: Noterini) is erected to accommodate this species, Canthysellus buqueti (Laporte, 1835), new combination and two new species: Canthysellus sipaliwini Baca and Toledo, new species (Suriname) and Canthysellus peruanus Baca and Toledo, new species (Peru). Habitus photographs, illustrations of diagnostic characters, distributions, habitat photographs, and a key to all known species of Canthysellus are provided.