Two new species of the <i>Ophisops microlepis</i> (Squamata: Lacertidae) complex from northwestern India with a key to Indian <i>Ophisops</i>

We describe two new species of the lacertid genus <i>Ophisops</i> based on a series of 19 specimens from semi-arid habitats in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in northwestern India, provide a description of <i>Ophisops microlepis</i> sensu stricto, and a key to Indian <i>Ophisops. Ophisops pushkarensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Ophisops kutchensis</i> sp. nov. are allied to <i>Ophisops microlepis</i> and can be diagnosed from all other Indian <i>Ophisops</i> by the fusion of the lower and upper eyelids, their large body size (snout to vent length &gt; 50 mm), and ≥ 50 scales around midbody. They differ from <i>O. </i><i>microlepis</i> and each other in the number of scales around midbody, the number of dorsal scales, subtle colour pattern differences, as well as uncorrected mitochondrial sequence divergence (6–9%). These are some of the only known endemic reptiles in these semi-arid landscapes and indicate that many other such habitats may harbour endemic biodiversity. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3CD04F6F-D699-4100-A462-9BDD4B36FEE2