Fourteen new species of Mexican and Central American Cleridae are described: Cymatodera opitzi Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera tica Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera fata Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera insalebrosa Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera hommertorum Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera uncina Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera lucubrans Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera burkei Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera locusticauda Rifkind, new species, Cymatodera andalearriba Rifkind, new species, Lecontella ensifera Rifkind, new species, Aphelocerus coxae Rifkind, new species, Colyphus martinezi Rifkind, new species, and Quadrophenia curoei Rifkind, new species. Enoclerus madrensis turnbowi Rifkind, new subspecies from Mexico, is also described. Color polymorphism in Colyphus Spinola is illustrated and discussed, and apostatic selection is proposed as an explanation for the evolution of clerid color morphs that have no obvious resemblance to chemically protected models.