This genus can be instantly identified by the presence of only four fingers in forelimbs in all the species (instead of the usual five).

All the members look more or less similar, and are drab dark brown to blackish in colouration, with paler undersides.

This poorly known group of lizards is diurnal, insectivorous, terrestrial to semi-fossorial in habits.

[2] All species in the genus Ristella are endemic to the Western Ghats hill-tracts of southwestern India.

Currently these skinks have been recorded from the southern and central Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka states.