Currently, three of the seven described species of Sirembo Bleeker, 1858 and both species of Spottobrotula Cohen & Nielsen, 1978 are considered valid. The present revision is based on 73 specimens of Sirembo known from the Red Sea to Japan and southwards to off northwestern Australia and northern New South Wales and 19 specimens of Spottobrotula known from the Persian Gulf to the Mozambique Channel and from the Andaman Sea. The main characters separating the two genera are the number of long rakers on the anterior gill arch and the form of the sagittal otolith. Based on this distinction Spottobrotula amaculata Cohen & Nielsen, 1982 is transferred to Sirembo. While newly caught specimens can easily be identified by their colour pattern, preserved material requires identification based on meristic and morphometric characters. Three new species are herein described, Sirembo wami, Spottobrotula mossambica and Spottobrotula persica, while Sirembo jerdoni is reported for the first time from Vietnam. These and all other species of the two genera can be identified by combining number of long gill rakers, number of pseudobranchial filaments, number of pectoral fin rays, number and size of scales between dorsal fin origin and lateral line, and prepelvic and pelvic fin length in per cent of SL. The distinction from other genera is discussed.