| Summary: | <em>Cteniogaster</em>, a new genus of small ground spiders is described from Kenya and Tanzania. It encompasses seven new species, three of which are known from both sexes: <em>C. toxarchus</em> sp. nov., the type species, <em>C. conviva</em> sp. nov. and <em>C. hexomma</em> sp. nov. Three species are known from females only: <em>C. lampropus</em> sp. nov., <em>C. sangarawe</em> sp. nov. and <em>C. taxorchis</em> sp. nov. and one only from males: <em>C. nana</em> sp. nov. The new genus can be recognised by the presence of a posterior ventral abdominal field of strong setae and anterior lateral spinnerets with enlarged piriform gland spigots in males. A cladistic analysis attributes the genus to Liocranidae, Cybaeodinae. The results of the analysis performed do not produce an unequivocal autapomorphy for Liocranidae, but provide a combination of non-homoplasious character changes that offers significant potential for recognising genera as Liocranidae. Moreover, robust apomorphies are determined within Liocranidae for the subfamilies Liocraninae and Cybaeodinae. Based on these findings <em>Toxoniella</em> Warui & Jocqué, 2002 is transferred from Gallieniellidae to Liocranidae, Cybaeodinae. <em>Jacaena</em> Thorell, 1897, <em>Plynnon</em> Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001 and <em>Teutamus</em> Thorell, 1890 are transferred to Corinnidae, Phrurolithinae and Montebello Hogg, 1914 to Gnaphosidae. <em>Itatsina</em> Kishida, 1930 is synonymised with <em>Prochora</em> Simon, 1886.
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