@article{fdi:010071965,
  title = {{E}xtinct, obscure or imaginary : the lizard species with the smallest ranges},
  author = {{M}eiri, {S}. and {B}auer, {A}. {M}. and {A}llison, {A}. and {C}astro-{H}errera, {F}. and {C}hirio, {L}. and {C}olli, {G}. and {D}as, {I}. and {D}oan, {T}. {M}. and {G}law, {F}. and {G}rismer, {L}. {L}. and {H}oogmoed, {M}. and {K}raus, {F}. and {L}e{B}reton, {M}. and {M}eirte, {D}. and {N}agy, {Z}. {T}. and {N}ogueira, {C}. {D}. and {O}liver, {P}. and {P}auwels, {O}. {S}. {G}. and {P}incheira-{D}onoso, {D}. and {S}hea, {G}. and {S}indaco, {R}. and {T}allowin, {O}. {J}. {S}. and {T}orres-{C}arvajal, {O}. and {T}rape, {J}ean-{F}ran{\c{c}}ois and {U}etz, {P}. and {W}agner, {P}. and {W}ang, {Y}. {Z}. and {Z}iegler, {T}. and {R}oll, {U}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}im: {S}mall geographic ranges make species especially prone to extinction from anthropogenic disturbances or natural stochastic events. {W}e 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. {W}e compare them to wide-ranging species to infer whether specific geographic regions or biological traits predispose species to have small ranges. {L}ocation: {G}lobal. {M}ethods: {W}e 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. {W}e compared their biogeography, key biological traits and threat status to those of all other lizards. {R}esults: {O}ne in seven lizards (927 of the 6,568 currently recognized species) are known only from their type localities. {T}hese include 213 species known only from a single specimen. {C}ompared to more wide-ranging taxa, they mostly inhabit relatively inaccessible regions at lower, mostly tropical, latitudes. {S}urprisingly, we found that burrowing lifestyle is a relatively unimportant driver of small range size. {G}eckos 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. {T}wo-thirds of these species have no {IUCN} assessments, and at least 20 are extinct. {M}ain conclusions: {F}ourteen per cent of lizard diversity is restricted to a single location, often in inaccessible regions. {T}hese species are elusive, usually poorly known and little studied. {M}any face severe extinction risk, but current knowledge is inadequate to properly assess this for all of them. {W}e recommend that such species become the focus of taxonomic, ecological and survey efforts.},
  keywords = {accessibility ; endemism ; extinction ; geckos ; holotype ; range size ; skinks ; threat ; type locality ; {MONDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{D}iversity and {D}istributions},
  volume = {24},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {262--273},
  ISSN = {1366-9516},
  year = {2018},
  DOI = {10.1111/ddi.12678},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010071965},
}