Lygosoma, HARDWICKE & GRAY, 1827: 228

Freitas, Elyse S., Datta-Roy, Aniruddha, Karanth, Praveen, Grismer, L. Lee & Siler, Cameron D., 2019, Multilocus phylogeny and a new classification for African, Asian and Indian supple and writhing skinks (Scincidae: Lygosominae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 186, pp. 1067-1096 : 1085

GENUS LYGOSOMA HARDWICKE & GRAY, 1827: 228

Type species: Lacerta serpens Bloch, 1776 = Anguis quadrupes Linnaeus, 1766 ( Smith (1935)) by monotypy.

Podophis Wiegmann, 1834: 11 . Type species Anguis quadrupes Linnaeus, 1766 by monotypy.

Eumeces Günther, 1864b: 84 . Part, not Eumeces Wiegmann, 1834 .

Riopa Smith, 1935: 312 . Part, not Riopa Gray, 1839 .

Mochlus Mittleman, 1952: 9 . Part, not Mochlus Günther, 1864a .

Squamicilia Mittleman, 1952: 9 . Type species Eumeces isodactylus Günther, 1864b by original designation.

Diagnosis

Lygosoma can be identified by the following combination of characters: (1) body size small to large (SVL 49–168 mm); (2) trunk moderately elongate to elongate (AGD 58–93% SVL); (3) digits short (FinIIILam 4–9, ToeIVLam 5–13); (4) MBSRC 25–38; (5) PVSRC 84–123; (6) lower eyelid scaly; (7) supranasal scales in contact medially or not in contact medially, usually fully or partially fused with nasals; (8) prefrontals not in contact medially; (9) frontoparietal single or paired; (10) parietals in contact medially posterior to interparietal; (11) enlarged nuchal scales present or absent; and (12) palatine bones with posteriomedially projecting processes, pterygoids emarginated along posterior edge.