This publication provides a comprehensive review of the nomenclature and distribution of the Geadephaga of America, north of Mexico. Overall 2439 valid species-group taxa in 208 genera are catalogued along with their synonyms. Besides the usual information pertaining to author(s), date and page of publication, the type locality, location of name-bearing type, first reference establishing each synonym, and etymology for many patronymic names are provided for species-group names. Genus-group names are listed with the author(s), year of publication, page citation, type species with manner of fixation and etymology for most. The geographical distributions of all species-group taxa are briefly summarized and their state and province records are indicated. About 2500 references are listed with publication dates for many in order to assess priority of names.

Several new nomenclatural acts are introduced including one new genus-group taxon, one new replacement name, three changes in precedence, five new genus-group synonymies, 65 new species-group synonymies, one new species-group status, and 12 new combinations.

The work includes also a discussion of the notable private North American carabid collections, a synopsis of all extant world geadephagan tribes and subfamilies, a brief faunistic assessment of the fauna, a list of North American fossil Geadephaga, a list of North American Geadephaga larvae described or illustrated, a list of species described from specimens mislabeled as from North America, and a list of unavailable names listed from North America.