The scaber group of the genus Eremobates is reviewed in terms of new characters and a more restricted biogeographic area. Three new species are described from the U.S.A.: Eremobates socal (California), E. icenoglei (California), E. corpink (Utah). We synonymize E. gladiolus Muma with E. scaber (Kraepelin); E. consors Muma, E. ascopulatus Muma and E. flavus with E. ascopulatus Muma; and E. mimbrenus Muma with E. mormonus (Roewer). Eremobates scaber, E. hodai Muma, E. clarus Muma, E. similis Muma are now described from both sexes. All scaber species except the Mexican species, E. legalis Harvey, are now known from both sexes. We also present the first phylogeny of the species group based on morphological characters. This phylogeny demonstrates a geographic grouping into northern and southern clades.