It was described as a new genus and new species by Leonhard Stejneger in 1910 and named in honor of a certain Mr. A.G. Reynolds of Gulfport, Florida, who had collected the holotype.

[4] A unique lizard adapted to an underground existence, the Florida sand skink measures 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) in total length and is a gray to tan color.

[5] The diet consists of surface-dwelling invertebrates, including termites, spiders, and the larvae of antlions and beetles.

[5] The Florida sand skink was classified as a threatened species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987.

As of 2016 it is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN due to ongoing habitat destruction for the purpose of building developments, citrus plantations, phosphate mining, and wildfires.