Abstract Leucocara, a new subgenus of Clivina Latreille, is established for C. americana Dejean and its relatives, whose collective geographical range includes the Western Hemisphere Nearctic Region and the Eastern Hemisphere Palaearctic, Oriental, and Afrotropical Regions. Previously, these taxa were included in the subgenus Reichardtula Whitehead, 1977, a taxon now confined to the Eastern Hemisphere. Members of Leucocara differ from those of other Nearctic Clivina by the presence of a small, apically truncate preapical protuberance on the mesotibia with its seta inserted apically. Clivina morio, previously known only from the holotype, is reported here from Louisiana and Texas, confirming its presence on the North American continent; the species is also included in Leucocara. The following new synonymies are proposed: C. dilutipennis Putzeys, 1866, C. insularis Jacquelin du Val, 1857, C. klugii Putzeys, 1846, C. sculptifrons Putzeys, 1846 with C. fasciata Putzeys, 1846 and C. morula LeConte, 1857 with C. americana Dejean, 1831.