Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858, a primarily Afrotropical genus, is reviewed. Thirty-eight species are included in the genus, 28 being newly described. A key and notes on taxonomy, distribution, phenology and biology, are provided. New species: atropalpus (South Africa), bicolor (South Africa), charma (South Africa), cornuata (South Africa), cuthbertsoni (Zimbabwe), eremia (Namibia), etheira (South Africa), glabra (Namibia), kalyptos (Namibia); karoo (South Africa), kosmos (Namibia), lindneri (Ivory Coast, Kenya, Uganda), melas (South Africa), nyx (South Africa), oresbios (South Africa), oribi (South Africa), pedion (Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland), pellos (South Africa), poa (South Africa, Botswana), quasinuda (South Africa), sinis (South Africa), tanylabis (South Africa, Namibia), theroni (South Africa), xanthokelis (South Africa), yeti (Namibia, South Africa), zebra (Angola), zilla (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa), zopheros (Angola). New combinations: Heteropogon flavidus Lindner, 1973 and Heteropogon oldroydi Lindner, 1973, placed in Afroholopogon by Londt (1994a), are transferred to Rhabdogaster. Previously described species considered valid: cinerascens (Wulp, 1899) (Eritrea, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen); flavida (Lindner, 1973) (Namibia); gracilis (Engel & Cuthbertson, 1937) (Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe); maculipennis Engel, 1929 (Zimbabwe); major Oldroyd, 1970 (DR Congo); nitida Hull, 1967 (South Africa); nuda Loew, 1858 (South Africa); oldroydi (Lindner, 1973) (Namibia); pulverulentus (Loew, 1858) (South Africa); rustica Oldroyd, 1974 (Mozambique, South Africa). Lectotype designation: maculipennis Engel, 1929. Keywords: Asilidae, Stenopogoninae, Rhabdogaster, robber flies, afrotropics, new species, identification key.