The common name, writhing skinks, refers to the way these stubby-legged animals move, snake-like but more slowly and more awkwardly.

[2] In the late 19th and early 20th century, Lygosoma was used as a "wastebin taxon", to which almost every newly described skink was assigned.

To clear up this confusion, all species (49) pertaining to these three genera are classified as Lygosoma s.l.

Riopa was a recently discovered genus from about 11 years ago and was supported as a monophyletic group within Lygosoma s.l., and Subdoluseps gen. nov. is also a newly added genus to this group.

[4][5] Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Lygosoma.