Nine new species of Philotarsus Kolbe are described from southwestern United States, México, and Guatemala. Garcialdretia n. gen. is erected for ‘Philotarsus’ jamaicensis Turner (Jamaica), ‘Philotarsus’ dardanus (Banks) (Hispaniola), ‘Haplophallus’ jarevianus García Aldrete (western México) and three new species, two from eastern México and one from Puerto Rico. North American records of Philotarsus picicornis (Fabricius) in Mockford (1993) are mis-identifications of P. parviceps Roesler. Keys to the subfamilies of Philotarsidae, the genera of Philotarsinae, the North and Middle American species of Philotarsus and the known species of Garcialdretia are included. Phylogenetic and biogeographic aspects of the new taxonomic information are briefly discussed. The fossil species Philotarsus antiquus Kolbe is transferred to Philotarsopsis Tillyard.