The elateroid family Cerophytidae, originally based on Cerophytum Latreille, is characterized and revised. Detailed morphological studies of adults and a cladistic analysis permitted the recognition of three well-defined lineages: one in the Holarctic Region, and the other two in the Neotropical Region, each one distributed from southern Mexico to South America. The resulting cladogram for these genera is ((Cerophytum) (Brachycerophytum, Phytocerum)). Cerophytum includes four species: C. elateroides (Latreille) (type species, southern and central Europe), C. convexicolle (LeConte) (western U.S.A.), C. japonicum Sasaji (Japan) and C. pulsator (Haldeman) (eastern U.S.A.). Brachycerophytum gen.n. contains two Neotropical species: B. fuscicorne (Bonvouloir) comb.n. (type species, Mexico to Colombia) and B. sinchona sp.n. (Peru and Bolivia). Phytocerum gen.n. includes fifteen species: P. golbachi sp.n. (type species, Argentina), P. alleni sp.n. (Costa Rica, Nicaragua), P. belloi sp.n. (Brazil), P. birai sp.n. (Brazil), P. boliviense (Golbach) comb.n. (Bolivia), P. burakowskii sp.n. (Trinidad), P. cayennense (Bonvouloir) comb.n. (Mexico, French Guyana, Brazil), P. distinguendum (Soares & Peracchi) comb.n. (Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina), P. serraticorne sp.n. (Guatemala), P. golbachi sp.n. (Argentina), P. ingens sp.n. (Brazil), P. inpa sp.n. (Brazil), P. minutum (Golbach) comb.n. (Argentina), P. simonkai sp.n. (Trinidad), P. trinidadense (Golbach) comb.n. (Trinidad) and P. zikani (Soares & Peracchi) comb.n. (Brazil). Diagnoses for the genera, redescriptions and descriptions for the species, as well as keys to genera and species, are provided. The larva of C. elateroides is redescribed.
