A global analysis of viviparity in squamates highlights its prevalence in cold climates

• DOI: 10.1111/geb.13598
• Publication Date: 2022-10-04T15:49:03Z
• Authors: Anna Zimin; Sean V. Zimin; Richard Shine; Luciano Avila; Aaron Bauer; Monika Böhm; Rafe Brown; Goni Barki; Gabriel Henrique ...; Fernando Castro H...; David G. Chapple; Laurent Chirio; Guarino R. Colli; Tiffany M. Doan; Frank Glaw; L. Lee Grismer; Yuval Itescu; Fred Kraus; Matthew LeBreton; Marcio Martins; Mariana Morando; Gopal Murali; Zoltán T. Nagy; Maria Novosolov; Paul Oliver; Paulo Passos; Olivier S. G. Pau...; Daniel Pincheira‐...; Marco Antonio Rib...; Glenn Shea; Reid Tingley; Omar Torres‐Carvajal; Jean‐François Trape; Peter Uetz; Philipp Wagner; Uri Roll; Shai Meiri
• Keywords: SQUAMATES; 0301 basic medicine; 0106 biological sciences; 570; climatic variability; elevation; Science; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; structural equation modelling; COLD CLIMATE; 01 natural sciences; reproduction; 03 medical and health sciences; BODY SIZE; Biowissenschaften; Biologie; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6; viviparity; ELEVATION; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1; biogeography; STRUCTUAL EQUATION MODELLING; Ecology; Geology and Earth Sciences; cold climate; VIVIPARITY; global analysis; 15. Life on land; CLIMATIC VARIABILITY; GLOBAL ANALYSIS; REPRODUCTION; 13. Climate action; squamates; body size; BIOGEOGRAPHY

Abstract Aim Viviparity has evolved more times in squamates than any other vertebrate group; therefore, offer an excellent model system which to study the patterns, drivers and implications of reproductive mode evolution. Based on current species distributions, we examined three selective forces hypothesized drive evolution squamate viviparity (cold climate, variable climate hypoxic conditions) tested whether is associated with larger body size. Location Global. Time period Present day. Taxon Squamata. Methods We compiled a dataset 9061 species, including their elevation, mass modes. applied species‐level assemblage‐level approaches for predicting mode, both globally within biogeographical realms. relationships temperature, interannual intra‐annual climatic variation, elevation (as proxy using path analyses account correlations among environmental predictors. Results was strongly cold climates at assemblage levels, despite prevalence some warm climates. not clearly correlated variability or elevation. The probability being viviparous exhibited weak positive correlation Conclusions Although phylogenetic history important, potentially explaining occurrence regions that are present, global distribution characterized by higher relative abundance environments, supporting prediction “cold‐climate” hypothesis. roles variation hypoxia less important straightforward. Elevation probably exerts various pressures influences primarily through its effect temperature rather oxygen concentration.