The genus Sisyrnodytes Loew, 1856 is reviewed and the Afrotropical species revised. A key for the separation of species is presented and the fauna is discussed with respect to available distributional and biological data. The following Afrotropical species are described as new: aethes (South Africa), ausensis (Namibia), dasykylon (South Africa, Namibia), oligotrichus (Namibia), xeromyia (Botswana, Namibia). The following previously described Afrotropical species are considered valid: apicalis Oldroyd, 1957; aterrimus Engel, 1929; brevis (Macquart, 1838); curtus (Wiedemann, 1819); irwini Oldroyd, 1974; major Adams, 1905;nilicola(Rondani, 1850); niveipilosus Ricardo, 1925; subater Oldroyd, 1957; vestitus Oldroyd, 1974. The following new synonymies are established: S. defusus Oldroyd, 1974 and S. diplocus Oldroyd, 1974 = S. brevis; S. luscinius (Walker, 1849) = S. curtus; S. erebus Oldroyd, 1957 = S. major. A neotype is designated for S. brevis (Macquart, 1838), and lectotypes are designated for S. major; S. floccus Loew, 1856; S. niveipilosus. One species has been removed from Sisyrnodytes: Acnephalum sericeus (Oldroyd, 1974), comb. n.