Rivalier (1950) described Apterodela as a subgenus of Cylindera and designated the Asian species C. ovipennis Bates, 1883 as the type specues. Given the polyphyly of Cylindera (Duran & Gough 2019; Gough et al. 2019) and a monophyletic and morphologically distinct Apterodela (Sota et al. 2011), Duran & Gough (2019) raised the clade to become a full genus.

Resultant from this, the new combination Apterodela unipunctata (Fabricius, 1775) was formally enacted by Duran & Gough (2019: 5).
 
Duran DP, Gough HM (2019) Unifying systematics and taxonomy: Nomenclatural changes to Nearctic tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) based on phylogenetics, morphology and life history. Insecta Mundi 727: 1–12.