The SNP has been ridiculed by Elon Musk and JK Rowling after the Scottish Government issued a list of 24 genders.

Official guidance issued last week by the devolved administration clarified a list of two dozen terms it said could be used by public bodies to record the gender identity of members of the public.

The Harry Potter author, who is a fierce defender of women’s rights, claimed that the “Scottish endarkenment gathers pace” after the list emerged.

Meanwhile, entrepreneur Mr Musk shared a post on his social media platform X with the nuts emoji.

The list of 24 genders includes “genderfluid” meaning how a person identifies changes and “pangender” meaning a person whose gender identity that is not limited to one gender.

The guidelines were published despite Scottish First Minister John Swinney previously saying he believed that male and female were the only two genders.

Asked how many genders there were today, the SNP leader said he had “not changed my view from what I said earlier on”.

He added: “The chief statistician’s point, I think, is quite simply about the handling of statistical data.

“These are judgments made by the chief statistician based on their statutory role so it’s not for me to question the statutory decisions of the chief statistician. It would be wrong for me to do so.”

The list of two dozen genders came under fire from the Scottish Conservatives.

The party’s shadow equalities minister Tess White said: “Wasting time and resources on this shows how disconnected the SNP government are from the real world and why people are sick of politicians at Holyrood failing to focus on issues that concern them.

“The SNP need to stop playing to the minority and start governing for the majority by showing common sense and focussing on the real priorities of the people of Scotland.”