The relationships of the families Colydiidae, Monommatidae and Zopheridae are examined. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using Hennig86 and based on 37 exemplar genera from each of these families and several possible outgroups coded for 59 morphological features (42 adult and 17 larval). Results of the analyses suggest that the three families form a monophyletic group, which may be divided into two subfamilies, Colydiinae and Zopherinae, and that the latter may be further divided into six tribes: Latometini (trib. nov.), Usechini, Monommatini, Phellopsini (trib. nov.), Pycnomerini (sens. nov.) and Zopherini (sens. nov.). The genera comprising the Zopherinae (excluding Monommatini) are keyed out and redescribed, and general remarks are made on the biology of the family. Three new genera are described: Orthocerodes gen. nov. (type species: Sarrotrium australis Blackburn, 1891), Australia; Notorthocerus gen. nov. (type species: N. valdivianus sp. nov.), Chile and Zopher (type species: Z. iviei sp. nov.), Malaysia. Type species are designated for the genera Docalis Pascoe, 1860 (D. degener Pascoe, 1860) and Elascus Pascoe (E. crassicornis Pascoe, 1860). Pycnomorphus Motschulsky, 1858, and Dechomus Jacquelin du Val, 1859, are synonymized with Pycnomerus Erichson, 1842 (syn. nov.) and Noserus LeConte, 1862, is synonymized with Phloeodes LeConte, 1862 (syn. nov.). Cotulades brindabellae sp. nov. is described, as is its larva. The following are also proposed: Cotulades okei nom. nov. (= C. pilosus Oke, 1932, not Docalis pilosus Carter, 1928) and C. pilosus (Carter in Wilson, 1928) (Docalis), comb. nov.