General & Similar species
Clusiodes apiculatus is one of only three eastern North America Clusiodes species (C. apiculatus, C. americanus and C. johnsoni) with three dorsocentrals and distally white fore tarsi.  Clusiodes americanus and C. apiculatus are much less common than C. johnsoni, from which they differ in having dark (not white) shoulders, entirely yellow fore femora (not with an inner-distal spot) and slender male vibrissae (usually stout in C. johnsoni).

Clusiodes apiculatus differs from C. americanus by having indistinct postvertical bristles (they are minute to absent), a dark notum that sometimes has a light anteromedial stripe (not a complete medial stripe), and brown hind tibiae (at least laterally to base). The characteristic surstyli are also very long and strongly pointed.