Eleven new species of Pyrgodesmidae are described: Monachodesmus bamboutos sp.n., M. bipindi sp.n., M. awae sp.n., M. yabassi sp.n., M. bagam sp.n., M. djawara sp.n. and M. minutus sp.n., all from Cameroon, Cryptocorypha dimorpha sp.n., C. monomorpha sp.n., C. bocal sp.n. and C. leleupi sp.n., all from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The former five species, together with Monachodesmus longicaudatus Golovatch, Nzoko Fiemapong et Vanden- Spiegel, 2015, for which new records from Cameroon and new illustrations of the gonopods are provided, form the longicaudatus group characterized by the long paramedian caudal lobes on segment 19 fully concealing the telson from above. A key is given to all six species of the group. Both Afrocorypha Loksa, 1967 and Procoptodesmus Brolemann, 1920 are formally synonymized with Cryptocorypha Attems, 1907, syn.n.; the latter genus is reviewed and redefined, with a key provided to all six African species known to date. These include also C. nympha Loksa, 1967, a poorly described species from the Republic of the Congo, as well as C. diffusa (Brolemann, 1920), comb.n. ex Procoptodesmus, which is redescribed and richly illustrated, based on unpublished material from Tanzania.