A new species of lucine bivalve, Loripes (Keletistes) rhizoecus, is described from the Niger Delta. The “Loripes group” is discussed and the subgenus Keletistes is introduced. The “Loripes group” is considered to contain only four recent valid subgenera: Loripes s.s., Wallucina, Pillucina (syn. Sydlorina) and Keletistes.