Cryptic diversity and morphological convergence in threatened species of fossorial skinks in the genus Scelotes (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Western Cape Coast of South Africa: Implications for species boundaries, digit reduction and conservation

► The genetic diversity of two threatened South African fossorial skinks was studied. ► Three mtDNA and two nDNA markers were used. ► They were found to be paraphyletic and genetically highly diverse. ► A molecular template is essential for planning their conservation.