Acontias is a genus of limbless skinks, the lance skinks, (family Scincidae) in the African subfamily Acontinae.

[1] Most are small animals, but the largest member of the genus is Acontias plumbeus at approximately 40 cm (16 in) snout-vent length.

[1] All members of this genus are live-bearing sandswimmers, with fused eyelids.

A recent review [2] moved species that were formerly placed in the genera Typhlosaurus, Acontophiops, and Microacontias into this genus, as together these form a single branch in the tree of life.

[2] These 24 species are recognized:[3] Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates the species was originally described in a genus other than Acontias.