Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorMeiri, S
dc.contributor.authorBauer, AM
dc.contributor.authorAllison, A
dc.contributor.authorCastro-Herrera, F
dc.contributor.authorChirio, L
dc.contributor.authorColli, G
dc.contributor.authorDas, I
dc.contributor.authorDoan, TM
dc.contributor.authorGlaw, F
dc.contributor.authorGrismer, LL
dc.contributor.authorHoogmoed, M
dc.contributor.authorKraus, F
dc.contributor.authorLeBreton, M
dc.contributor.authorMeirte, D
dc.contributor.authorNagy, ZT
dc.contributor.authorNogueira, CDC
dc.contributor.authorOliver, P
dc.contributor.authorPauwels, OSG
dc.contributor.authorPincheira-Donoso, D
dc.contributor.authorShea, G
dc.contributor.authorSindaco, R
dc.contributor.authorTallowin, OJS
dc.contributor.authorTorres-Carvajal, O
dc.contributor.authorTrape, JF
dc.contributor.authorUetz, P
dc.contributor.authorWagner, P
dc.contributor.authorWang, Y
dc.contributor.authorZiegler, T
dc.contributor.authorRoll, U
dc.date.accessioned2019-08-22T02:57:57Z
dc.date.available2019-08-22T02:57:57Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.identifier.issn1366-9516
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/ddi.12678
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/384494
dc.description.abstractAim: Small geographic ranges make species especially prone to extinction from anthropogenic disturbances or natural stochastic events. We assemble and analyse a comprehensive dataset of all the world's lizard species and identify the species with the smallest ranges—those known only from their type localities. We compare them to wide‐ranging species to infer whether specific geographic regions or biological traits predispose species to have small ranges. Location: Global. Methods: We extensively surveyed museum collections, the primary literature and our own field records to identify all the species of lizards with a maximum linear geographic extent of <10 km. We compared their biogeography, key biological traits and threat status to those of all other lizards. Results: One in seven lizards (927 of the 6,568 currently recognized species) are known only from their type localities. These include 213 species known only from a single specimen. Compared to more wide‐ranging taxa, they mostly inhabit relatively inaccessible regions at lower, mostly tropical, latitudes. Surprisingly, we found that burrowing lifestyle is a relatively unimportant driver of small range size. Geckos are especially prone to having tiny ranges, and skinks dominate lists of such species not seen for over 50 years, as well as of species known only from their holotype. Two‐thirds of these species have no IUCN assessments, and at least 20 are extinct. Main conclusions: Fourteen per cent of lizard diversity is restricted to a single location, often in inaccessible regions. These species are elusive, usually poorly known and little studied. Many face severe extinction risk, but current knowledge is inadequate to properly assess this for all of them. We recommend that such species become the focus of taxonomic, ecological and survey efforts.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.publisherWiley
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrom262
dc.relation.ispartofpageto273
dc.relation.ispartofissue2
dc.relation.ispartofjournalDiversity and Distributions
dc.relation.ispartofvolume24
dc.subject.fieldofresearchEnvironmental sciences
dc.subject.fieldofresearchBiological sciences
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode41
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode31
dc.titleExtinct, obscure or imaginary: The lizard species with the smallest ranges
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
dc.description.versionAccepted Manuscript (AM)
gro.rights.copyright© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Extinct, obscure or imaginary: The lizard species with the smallest ranges, Diversity and Distributions, Volume 24, Issue 2, February 2018, Pages 262-273, which has been published in final form at 10.1111/ddi.12678. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828039.html)
gro.hasfulltextFull Text
gro.griffith.authorOliver, Paul M.


Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

  • Journal articles
    Contains articles published by Griffith authors in scholarly journals.

Show simple item record