Calianotus, n. gen., is proposed for three small California polydesmids in which they gonopodal tibiotarsus arises basally and the endomerite possesses a lateral branch and two shorter distal projections. Brachydesmus (Brachydesmus) yosemitensis Causey, occurring in the Sierra Nevada from Calaveras to Tulare counties, is the type species; Polydesmus sastianus Chamberlin is assigned to the representative occurring in the upper Sacramento River Valley, in the Mt. Shasta area of Shasta and Siskiyou counties; and Brachydesmus bituberculatus Loomis, occurring east of San Francisco Bay in Contra Costa and Alameda counties, is transferred into the genus. Calianotus is related to Scytonotus Koch; relationships within the genus are sastianus + (bituberculatus + yosemitensis). The identity of Phreatodesmus hastingsus (Chamberlin), plausibly referrable to Calianotus, cannot be assumed because the original illustrations are meaningless and the vial with the hologype now contains two different polydesmids, one of which occurs in Idaho. Topotypes are needed to determine its identity and generic placement.