Based on external structural features and on those of male and female genitalia, the monobasic carabid genus Chalteniagen.nov. is described and illustrated, along with Chaltenia patagonicasp.nov. A parsimony analysis of tribe-level taxa supports a position of this new genus within the supertribe TrecFhitae. Based on the analysis of fittest trees, the genus Chaltenia is most closely related to the tribe Zolini. Several characters, such as head with three supraorbital setae, two rows of squamosetae on ventral surface of male protarsomeres 1–2, elytral interval 8 not carinate, and glossal sclerite quadrisetose, differentiate the genus Chaltenia from the three subtribes of Zolini. Because of the large degree of difference from the previously known genera of Zolini, a new monogeneric subtribe, Chalteniina, is described in order to hold the new genus Chaltenia. The biogeographical pattern exhibited by the tribe Zolini is congruent with the biogeographical patterns of other carabids, such as the tribe Broscini, that show an amphitropical distribution.