Prompted by a forthcoming treatment of the Melyridae of the United States and Canada at the genus level, we implement a number of taxonomic and nomenclatural changes among the fauna of Dasytinae of the North American continent and beyond. Chief among them are 21 new junior synonyms proposed at the genus level, leading to better characterized genera for purposes of diagnosis, supported by a recently published molecular phylogeny: Byturosomus Motschulsky, 1860, Emmenotarsus Motschulsky, 1860, Holomallus Gorham, 1886, Adasytes Casey, 1895, Cradytes Casey, 1895, Eudasytes Casey, 1895, Sydates Casey, 1895, Sydatopsis Casey, 1895, Listropsis Blaisdell, 1924, Eutrichopleurus Blaisdell, 1938, Trichochroides Blaisdell, 1938, and Trichochronellus Blaisdell, 1938 (all new junior synonyms of Trichochrous Motschulsky, 1860); Dasytellus Casey, 1895, Hoppingiana Blaisdell, 1924, Neadasytes Hatch, 1962, Paradasytes Hatch, 1962, and Apovates Majer, 1986 (all new junior synonyms of Dasytastes Casey, 1895); Leptovectura Casey, 1895, Listromimus Casey, 1895, Vecturoides Fall, 1930, and Menovectura Blaisdell, 1931 (all new junior synonyms of Vectura Casey, 1895). The generic synonymies result in new or restored combinations for 52 species. Additionally, among the North American (including Mesoamerican) fauna, nine species are transferred from Trichochrous to Eutricholistra Blaisdell, 1924; 15 species from Trichochrous to Pseudasydates Blaisdell, 1938; one species from Dasytes Paykull, 1799 to Amphivectura Blaisdell, 1938; 20 species and subspecies from Dasytes and two species from Listrus Motschulsky, 1860 to Dasytastes. One junior secondary homonym created as a result of the synonymy of Listropsis with Trichochrous is here renamed Trichochrous rugosicollis Gimmel and Mayor, new name (= Trichochroides parvicollis Blaisdell, 1941). At the species level, 35 new junior synonyms within Trichochrous, four new junior synonyms within Pseudasydates, and two new junior synonyms within Vectura are proposed to reduce the burden of valid species names and provide a clearer picture of the fauna. Dasytes brevicornis LeConte, 1852 is designated as the type species of Emmenotarsus. Confusion around the type species designation of Byturosomus is clarified; a lectotype is designated for Dasytes fusca LeConte, 1852 which we also designate as a neotype for Byturosomus rufipes Motschulsky, 1860. In addition, we propose a revised tribal-level classification based on morphological study and a recent molecular phylogeny, recognizing six world tribes: Eparchiini Bernhauer, 1934, status restored, originally described in Staphylinidae; Vecturini Gimmel and Mayor, new tribe (type genus: Vectura); Danaceini Thomson, 1859, new sense; Chaetomalachiini Majer, 1987; Listrini Majer, 1990, new sense; and Dasytini Laporte, 1840, new sense. Additionally, we re-synonymize the tribe Enicopodini Escalera, 1927, junior synonym restored, with Dasytini. Among non-North American taxa, Pedicanthus Mayor, new name is proposed for the junior homonym Arthracanthus Broun, 1883, resulting in new combinations for five New Zealand species. In a reversal of priority, the Chilean Hylodanacaea ruficeps (Pic, 1910), new combination has validity over Hylodanacaea immarginatus (Pic, 1926), new junior synonym. Two South African species are transferred from Dasytes Paykull, 1799 to Pseudopecteropus Pic, 1903. Two South American species are transferred from Dasytes to Astylus Laporte, 1838 (Melyrinae: Astylini), while two varietal names are proposed as new junior synonyms of Astylus bifurcatus (Pic, 1910), new combination. Finally, we provide a key to world tribes and an updated species-level checklist of New World Dasytinae with published country-level distribution for all species as well as state- and province-level distribution for species occurring in Canada, USA, and Mexico.