DOI: 10.5061/dryad.3hq89
title: Data from: Correlates of extinction risk in squamate reptiles: the relative importance of biology, geography, threat and range size

description: Aim Evaluating the relative roles of biological traits and environmental
 factors that predispose species to an elevated risk of extinction is of
 fundamental importance to macroecology. Identifying species that possess
 extinction-promoting traits allows targeted conservation action before
 precipitous declines occur. Such analyses have been carried out for
 several vertebrate groups, with the notable exception of reptiles. We
 identify traits correlating with high extinction risk in squamate
 reptiles, assess whether these differ with geography, taxonomy and
 threats, and make recommendations for future Red List assessments.
 Location Global. Methods We collected data on biological traits and
 environmental factors for a representative sample of 1139 species of
 squamate reptiles. We used phylogenetically controlled regression models
 to identify general correlates of extinction risk, threat-specific
 correlates of risk and realm-specific correlates of risk. We also assessed
 the relative importance of range size versus other factors through
 multiplicative bivariate models, partial regressions and variance
 partitioning. Results Range size was the most important predictor of
 extinction risk, reflecting the high frequency of reptiles assessed under
 range-based IUCN criteria. Habitat specialists occupying accessible ranges
 were at a greater risk of extinction: although these factors never
 contributed more than 10% to the variance in extinction risk, they showed
 significant interactions with range size. The predictive power of our
 global models ranged from 23% to 29%. The general overall pattern remained
 the same among geographical, taxonomic and threat-specific data subsets.
 Main conclusions Proactive conservation requires shortcuts to identify
 species at high risk of extinction. Regardless of location, squamate
 reptiles that are range-restricted habitat specialists living in areas
 highly accessible to humans are likely to become extinct first.
 Prioritizing species that exhibit such traits could forestall extinction.
 Integration of data sources on human pressures, such as accessibility of
 species ranges, may aid robust and time-efficient assessments of species
 extinction risk.
description: Species traits and
 variables - data tableSpecies trait data and
 environmental variables used for analysis of correlates of extinction risk
 in 1,139 squamate reptiles. For each species, data on extinction risk,
 range size, reproductive mode and output, body size, trophic group,
 biogeographical realm and island endemism is given. In addition, the file
 holds environmental data extracted across each species' range from
 spatial data layers on climate, net primary productivity (NPP) and human
 pressures (population density, human appropriation of NPP, accessibility,
 etc.).Composite phylogeny of
 squamate reptilesNon-dated composite
 phylogeny of squamate reptiles (1,139 species + Sphenodon punctatus as
 outgroup) as used in our analysis of extinction risk correlates of
 squamate reptiles. This zip file contains the data file holding the
 phylogeny in text format, and a Word document describing how the phylogeny
 was constructed, as well as literature citations.