The revision of the Ethiopian Clambidae (Coleoptera) is based on a large collection of material mainly from South Africa and Ghana. Five new species of Clambus are described: C. natalensis, C. ndumu, C. phallus, C. silvalicus and C. clavatus, all from South Africa, as well as two new subspecies, C. phallus litoralis from South Africa and C. splendens palmae from Ghana. A new synonym, C. minutus infuscatus Endrödy-Younga, is established as an objective synonym of its nominate species. Clambus simsoni Blackburn, originally described from Australia, is recorded from Reunion and is the most common species in South Africa. The western Palaearctic Clambus minutus Sturm is recorded from Central and South Africa. Keywords: Africa, Calyptomerus, Clambus, Clamibidae, Coleoptera, Historical biogeography, taxonomy.