A new subgenus is proposed for the following species of Ammophila: opulenta Guérin-Méneville, melanaria Dahlbom, binodis (Fabricius), aureonotata Cameron, catamarcensis Schrottky, willinki Menke, eximia Lepeletier, auromaculata Perez, and asperata Fox. A key to species is provided, with comparative and distributional notes. Ammophila willinki from Argentina and Brazil is described as new. Lectotypes are established for the following species: A. bimaculigera Strand, A. melanaria Dahlbom, A. miliaris Cameron, A. iridipennis Cameron, A. aureonotata Cameron, and A. asperata Fox. The following new synonymy is proposed: A. bimaculigera Strand (= opulenta Guérin-Méneville); A. lobicollis Cameron (= melanaria Dahlbom); Pelopoeus abbreviatus Fabricius, A. guiana Cameron, A. oxystoma Cameron (= binodis (Fabricius)); A. eugenia Smith, Sphex nigrocinctus Fernald, A. friedrichi Schrottky, A. trimaculigera Strand (= eximia Lepeletier); A. giacomellii Schrottky, (= auromaculata Perez); A. miliaris Cameron, A. iridipennis Cameron, A. velutina Schrottky (?= melanaria Dahlbom).