Tyrophagus is considered as a world-wide genus. Its complex history is traced and its position in the Acarina is re-examined against the background of recent classification changes. Eleven species of Tyrophagus are recognized and keyed. Neotypes are designated and described for putrescentiae Schrank, 1781, and longior Gervais, 1844, and a case is made for declaring dimidiatus Hermann, 1804, a species name brought into the group by A. C. Oudemans, to be a nomen dubium. Lectotypes are indicated for australasiae Oudemans, 1916, javensis Oudemans, 1916, vanheurni Oudemans, 1924, deliensis Oudemans, 1923, and muris Oudemans, 1924. Of these, the last two are treated as uncertain species, while vanheurni is judged to have no status. T. palmarum Oudemans, 1924, and T. perniciosus Zakhvatkin, 1941, are redescribed, and three species are described as new.