A new definition of the subgenera of Dercylus Castelnau, 1832, is proposed and their synonymy is clarified. Four subgenera are included: Dercylus s.str., Eurydercylus subgen.nov. (type species: Dercylus tenebricosus La Ferté-Sénectère, 1851), Asporina Castelnau, 1835, ma Licinodercylus Kuntzen, 1912. Dercylodes Chaudoir, 1883, and Pterodercylus Kuntzen, 1912, are considered junior synonyms of Dercylus s.str. Licinodercylus Kuntzen, 1912, replaces Physomerus Chaudoir, 1883, which is a junior homonym of three other generic names. The 14 known species of the subgenus Licinodercylus are then revised. Eleven of them are newly described: Dercylus (Licinodercylus) franiai Moret, D. onorei Moret, D. orbiculatus Moret, D. praepilatus Moret, D. screator Moret, D. davidsoni Moret, D. granifer Moret, D. nodosus Moret, D. gaujoni Moret, D. gibber Moret, and D. mathani Moret. The larva of Dercylus (Licinodercylus) orbiculatus sp.nov. is described, and the phylogenetic affinities of the tribe Dercylini are discussed. Finally, available ecological and biogeographical data are presented, with special regard to the Ecuadorian fauna, and hypotheses regarding their speciation modes are proposed.