The Mexican entomologist Federico Islas Salas circumscribed the genus Cartwrightia in 1959 for his newly-described species C.

[1] Cartwrightia is in the subfamily Aphodiinae of the scarab family Scarabaeidae, although entomologists are not all in agreement as to which tribe it should be placed in.

American entomologist Paul E. Skelley [Wikidata] has described this genus as "unusual", "distinct", and in need of additional study as to its taxonomic classification.

[6] Zdzisława Teresa Stebnicka [Wikidata] and colleagues, however, disagreed with this, placing it in Rhyparini[7] as the mouthparts and head shape exclude it from the tribe Eupariini.

[9] Beetles in this genus are 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and have elongate, somewhat flat bodies which are rufous in color.