Despite reptiles constituting one-third of tetrapods, conservation analyses for this taxonomic group are comparatively rare. Understanding their distribution and underlying determinants is crucial for reptile conservation. Chunrong Mi, Baojun Sun, and their colleagues compiled a dataset on the distribution of 231 reptile species in China and utilized comprehensive methods to analyze their range fillings. They identified mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT) as the primary determinants of reptile distribution in China (“Precipitation and temperature primarily determine the reptile distributions in China” by Chunrong, Mi, Han, Xingzhi, Jiang, Zhongwen, Zeng, Zhi-Gao, Du, Weiguo, Sun, Bao-jun; 10.1111/ecog.07005). This photograph, credited to Zhongwen Jiang, illustrates Gloydius angusticeps, a Chinese snake species, and its typical habitats in high latitudes.

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