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We redescribe and illustrate the type specimens of ten taxa of sea snakes of the genera Hydrophis Latreille in Sonnini & Latreille, 1801 and Laticauda Laurenti, 1768 in the collections of the Zoological Survey of India. The specimens comprise holotypes and syntypes of ten synonymous nominal taxa that represent seven valid nominal taxa. We here clarify that one specimen ZSI 8278 is a syntype of Hydrophis dayanus Stoliczka, 1872, not holotype as previously stated. In one case, four holotypes of four nominal taxa are synonyms of the same taxon—Hydrophis cyanocinctus Daudin, 1803. Many of these type specimens are herein first depicted in photographs in a publication.

We report for the first time an accurate record of Dendrelaphis bifrenalis (Boulenger, 1890), a colubrid snake thus far considered endemic to Sri Lanka, from southern India. Our data is based on a voucher specimen collected from Shenbagathoppu, Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu, India. We also refer a paratype of D. girii from Sirumalai and a voucher specimen previously identified as D. girii from Meghamalai (both from Tamil Nadu, India) to D. bifrenalis. Additionally, based on congruence of diagnostic features, observed but uncollected specimens reported from the Eastern Ghats in Jawadi, Bilgiri and the Tada (or Kambakkam) hills are herein referred to D. bifrenalis. The Indian records of D. bifrenalis available thus far indicate its occurrence in mixed deciduous forests of mid-hills. Our examination of the historical (in 1890s) specimen that formed the sole basis of the record of D. bifrenalis in India, from “Trevandrum, Travancore” in the wet zone of the Western Ghats reveals that it is in fact D. girii. We conclude by drawing parallels in distribution patterns between the Western Ghats-endemic D. girii and the corresponding Sri Lankan wet zone endemic species D. wickrorum, whose description enabled a proper identification of the Sri Lankan and Indian dry zone populations as D. bifrenalis.

The gekkonid diversity of the under-explored dry zones in Peninsular India is not yet completely inventoried, as evidenced by frequent new species descriptions. Here, we describe two new species of Hemidactylus from the dry rocky zones of Deccan Plateau viz. Hemidactylus mahonyi sp. nov. from Sandur Hills and Hemidactylus srikanthani sp. nov. from Devarayana Durga Hills, Karnataka State of Peninsular India. The new species belong to the morphologically cryptic H. murrayi Clade but differ from each other and the known congeners by a set of morphological characters and possess non-overlapping distribution ranges. Furthermore, the new species are also divergent (> 6.4% uncorrected p-distance) from their nearest related congeners, and from one another with respect to the ND2 mitochondrial gene. Recently, other new species of reptiles have been described from the two aforesaid type localities, indicating that further bio-inventories in the dry zones of peninsular India will yield more such novelties.

Uropeltis dindigalensis (Beddome, 1877) is a poorly known uropeltid (shieldtail) snake from peninsular India. Here we report morphological data for 14 preserved and nine uncollected specimens, most of which have not been previously reported. We designate a lectotype from the type series, describe it, and present the first published photographs of some of the type material. Recharacterization of U. dindigalensis clarifies its taxonomic distinctiveness and its geographical distribution. We report new natural-history observations from museum specimens and of individuals in life, including viviparity and feeding behaviour. The species is known only from the higher elevations of Sirumalai hills, in the southern end of the Eastern Ghats. Uropeltis dindigalensis appears somewhat capable of tolerating low-intensity agriculture. The main immediate conservation threats are probably greater intensity human activities, including road traffic, and possibly climate change given that the species is restricted to the uppermost elevations of a small hill range. The very small extent of occurrence within a single threat-defined location (none of which lies within a protected area), combined with decreasing quality and quantity of habitat, likely qualifies U. dindigalensis as Critically Endangered (or, at best, Endangered) under IUCN Red List criteria.

A new species of shieldtail snake, Uropeltis jerdoni, is here described based on eight specimens from Devarayana Durga and Nandi Durga that are under-researched hills near Bengaluru in southern India. The new species is a member of the Uropeltis ceylanica group that can be distinguished from related taxa as follows: a truncate and flattened caudal shield with a circumscribed concave disc; part of rostral visible from above subequal to its distance from frontal; rostral partially separating nasal scales; 17: 17: 17 dorsal scale rows; 140-148 ventral scales; 7-9 pairs of subcaudals; dark blackish-grey above, powdered with minute yellow specks, yellow lateral stripes on neck and tail; ventrolateral region with yellow mottling; venter black. This new species is currently known only from two ranges Devarayana Durga and Nandi Durga but judging by the presence of similar, adjacent massifs, is hypothesized to be present in nearby hillocks surrounding Bengaluru City. © 2021. Ganesh et al. All Rights Reserved.

We report on a topotypical specimen of the spot-tailed pit viper Trimeresurus erythrurus recorded from Sunderbans in India and a distant, southerly, range extension from Kakinada mangroves, based on preserved (n= 1, seen in 2019) and live uncollected (n= 2; seen in 2014) specimens, respectively. The specimens (n= 3) share the following characteristics: verdant green dorsum, yellow iris, white ventrolateral stripes in males, 23 midbody scale rows, 161–172 ventrals, 61–76 subcaudals, and reddish tail tip. Drawing on the published records, its apparent rarity within its type locality and lack of records from the Circar Coast of India, our study significantly adds to the knowledge of the distribution and morphology of this species. Being a medically important venomous snake, its presence in the Godavari mangrove basin calls for wider dissemination of this information among medical practitioners, in addition to fundamental researchers like academics and herpetologists.

A new cryptic lineage of bush frogs of the genus Raorchestes from the understudied Eastern Ghats of India is described. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions using mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences suggest that the new species belongs to the Raorchestes charius clade, is sister to the allopatric R. charius of the Western Ghats and support the species-level distinctiveness of the lineage. The new species morphologically resembles R. charius from which it can be distinguished using the following characters: narrower head (HW/SVL 0.31 vs 0.34–0.36), wider inter upper eyelid (IUE/SVL 0.14–0.16 vs 0.11–0.13), greater maximum upper eyelid width (UEW/SVL 0.10–0.12 vs 0.06–0.09) and shorter thigh (TL/SVL 0.32–0.43 vs 0.44–0.51). Acoustic observations from the breeding males further corroborate the distinct specific status of the new species. The discovery of this new species of bush frog from an understudied landscape suggests that additional extensive surveys in the Eastern Ghats would yield several more amphibian lineages yet unknown to science.

We document two toad species Duttaphrynus scaber and D. stomaticus from southeastern India, in the Coromandel Coastal Plains. Owing to incorrect data presented in previous reports denoting the occurrence of these toad species, their occurrence in the said region has remained obscure. Our results, presented here, on both the species are based on morphological data from 15 preserved voucher specimens and direct field observations made by the authors in situ. In this work, we report D. scaber from Chengelpet and D. stomaticus from Thoothukudi. We revisited these places after studying the labeled specimens in Chennai Snake Park Trust Museum, to confirm their occurrences in the respective region and provide natural history notes based on our field observations.

We redescribe the poorly-known peninsular India endemic colubrid snake Lycodon travancoricus based on its traceable syntype. We elaborate on the geographic range of the species and reveal its distribution in several disjunct hill ranges scattered across its range – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats and the Central Indian Highlands. Discussions about a suggested relegation of its status as a subspecies of the widespread L. aulicus are revisited, in light of new knowledge on the species complex to which it belongs. Our perusal of extralimital records allocated to this species reveals frequent incorrect identification and provenance of specimens. Our results bolster the view that the existing diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish this species from regional congeners supporting its continued recognition as a valid species restricted to peninsular India.

Liopeltis calamaria, a rare non-venomous colubrid snake of South Asia, is redescribed. Its syntypes and all the available type specimens of its recognized synonyms are examined, including information about the respective populations found across India and Sri Lanka. Our literature compilation and mapping analyses reveal three distinct populations – (I) Sri Lankan (probably also present in some parts of South India as well), (II) Peninsular Indian, and (III) Himalayan / Nepalese, separated by the Palk Strait and the Indo-Gangetic plains respectively.

In recent years, several studies have revealed significant unknown and cryptic diversity of agamids in peninsular India, particularly in the Western Ghats. Here, we examine the morphology, anatomy and genetics of the sole Indian representative of the otherwise Sri Lankan agamid genus Otocryptis from the Western Ghats. Our analyses reveal significant distinctions in O. beddomii Boulenger, 1885 with respect to the Sri Lankan members, the type species, O. wiegmanni Wagler, 1830, and O. nigristigma Bahir & de Silva, 2005, warranting a new generic placement. To accommodate the divergent and allopatric O. beddomii from the Western Ghats, we erect a new genus Agasthyagama gen. nov. We re-characterise Agasthyagama beddomii (Boulenger, 1885) comb. nov. based on a syntype (ZSI 15733) and recently collected material. In effect, we restrict the genus Otocryptis, represented by two species, O. wiegmanni and O. nigristigma, to Sri Lanka. We also provide a re-appraisal of the genus Otocryptis sensu stricto, based on data from its type species O. wiegmanni. Our finding adds another endemic agamid genus to the Western Ghats, following Salea Gray, 1845, and the recently described Monilesaurus Pal, Vijayakumar, Shanker, Jayarajan & Deepak, 2018, and Microauris Pal, Vijayakumar, Shanker, Jayarajan & Deepak, 2018. In turn, this complements Sri Lankan agamid endemism with Otocryptis, in addition to the accepted endemic radiations of Lyriocephalus Merrem, 1820, Ceratophora Gray, 1835 and Cophotis Peters, 1861. From a systematic perspective, our erection of Agasthyagama gen. nov. likely completes the description of known genus-level diversity in the clade containing Otocryptis Wagler 1830, Sitana Cuvier, 1829 and the recently described Sarada Deepak, Karanth & Giri, 2016.

We report the Banded Racer Argyrogena fasciolata from the Coromandel Coast in peninsular India, where its occurrence remained doubtful. This is based on four specimens—two live, uncollected ones from Tambaram and Auroville, respectively, and two preserved specimens from Tuticorin. The sighting points span a distance of 500 airline km north-south across the eastern coastal plains. Both juvenile and adults were included in these records, which underscores that breeding populations exist in the regions dealt with. Our records highlight the need for faunal surveys even in reportedly depauperate or well-studied ecoregions, an element that points out a hidden diversity including species that are not ecologically cryptic.

We compile an up-to-date checklist of 26 species of marine snakes known from the Indian coastlines. We furnish information on the original orthography, authorship, date of publication, current binominal representation, synonymy and chresonymy lists for each recognized taxon. In addition, we provide details of name-bearing types, repository and type locality (both original and subsequent restrictions where applicable) of the prevailing nomen for all recognized species. We summarise the history of research on Indian marine snakes from Linnaeus to the present day, including taxonomic and regional treatises, and highlight the taxonomic flux. We also provide a revised key for this group to facilitate easier identification and support effective conservation.

We examined the holotype of Euprepes innotatus Blanford, 1870 which was presented to the Natural History Museum, London (NHMUK) by Blanford himself, and is redescribed herein. Based on the morphological similarity, we placed Eutropis innotata within the E. carinata group (contra Blanford, 1870), as it is closely allied to E. dissimilis and E. carinata in morphological and morphometric traits. Based on the current distribution pattern, we conducted Species Distribution Modelling using the Maximum Entropy algorithm and the distribution range of this species was predicted to be wider than the currently known limits within the south-central parts of the Deccan plateau. Furthermore, we updated the conservation status of E. innotata using the criteria of the IUCN Red List, and suggested it be considered as a species of Least Concern.

We conducted a molecular phylogenetic study on the Boiga ceylonensis group from the Western Ghats of India, building on a recent morphology-based study. Our analysis supports previous work in elucidating the phylogenetic position of B. nuchalis and B. beddomei s. str. (of Matheran, Western Ghats) as clustering closely with B. ceylonensis, while B. flaviviridis clustered with the Sri Lankan taxon close to B. ranawanei. Additionally, our phylogenetic study revealed the presence of an undescribed taxon in the Southern Western Ghats, more closely related to B. ceylonensis than to any other sampled taxon, including sympatric congeners. This new taxon is described here as a new species Boiga whitakeri sp. nov. from the Devar Malai–Anaimalai hill complex. Based on molecular and morphometric studies, we expand the description of the recently described B. thackerayi as inhabiting almost the entire stretch of the Western Ghats. We also complement the diagnoses of B. nuchalis and B. flaviviridis, and determine the phylogenetic position of B. thackerayi with molecular data.

Our knowledge of the conservation status of reptiles, the most diverse class of terrestrial vertebrates, has improved dramatically over the past decade, but still lags behind that of the other tetrapod groups. Here, we conduct the first comprehensive evaluation (~92% of the world’s ~1,714 described species) of the conservation status of skinks (Scincidae), a speciose reptile family with a worldwide distribution. Using International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, we report that ~20% of species are threatened with extinction, and nine species are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild. The highest levels of threat are evident in Madagascar and the Neotropics, and in the subfamilies Mabuyinae, Eugongylinae and Scincinae. The vast majority of threatened skink species were listed based primarily on their small geographic ranges (Criterion B, 83%; Criterion D2, 13%). Although the population trend of 42% of species was stable, 14% have declining populations. The key threats to skinks are habitat loss due to agriculture, invasive species, and biological resource use (e.g., hunting, timber harvesting). The distributions of 61% of species do not overlap with protected areas. Despite our improved knowledge of the conservation status of the world’s skinks, 8% of species remain to be assessed, and 14% are listed as Data Deficient. The conservation status of almost a quarter of the world’s skink species thus remains unknown. We use our updated knowledge of the conservation status of the group to develop and outline the priorities for the conservation assessment and management of the world’s skink species.

Abstract Asian pit vipers belonging to the genus Craspedocephalus are a complex group of vipers, distributed in South and Southeast Asia. Their taxonomy is unresolved in many lineages across their distributional range. Here, we reassess the taxonomy and systematics of pit vipers of the genus Craspedocephalus in Peninsular India based on extensive field sampling, in particular in the Western Ghats. We build and expand on the previous findings of genetic relatedness between the peninsular Indian lineages with the Sundaic clade (C. puniceus complex) with greater evidence, based on additional taxa sequenced herein. We reconstruct the phylogeny of the group using three mitochondrial genes and delineated lineages using coalescent species delimitation methods. We then used multiple criteria including genetic divergence and separation in morphological and geographic space to designate taxonomic units. Our work revealed the presence of a South Asian radiation of the clade Craspedocephalus, with a few Sundaic members. Our study reveals the systematic relationships of four Peninsular Indian species of Craspedocephalus, including Peltopelor macrolepis and C. strigatus, sequenced here for the first time, that are classified or confirmed as members of Craspedocephalus. Hence, we place the genus Peltopelor in the synonymy of Craspedocephalus. Using our multi-criteria approach, we delimit four new cryptic evolutionary lineages within the Western Ghats escarpment of Peninsular India. These cryptic lineages belong to the C. malabaricus, C. gramineus and C. macrolepis complexes and are geographically and/or ecologically (in terms of habitat association) distinct from their sister lineages across their distributional range, while others are separated in morphological space. Our new phylogenetic tree and delimitation analysis thus reveals the presence of multiple clades with several cryptic lineages separated by geographical barriers or habitat association.

We carried out a taxonomic revision of Ahaetulla species inhabiting Peninsular India, using a multiple criteria approach (including genetics, morphology, and geography). Our work included populations of the A. nasuta complex (widespread across the entire region, including the Western Ghats), the A. pulverulenta complex (in the Western Ghats, within Peninsular India) and the A. dispar complex (endemic to the Southern Western Ghats) which all revealed undocumented cryptic diversity. Here, we describe five new species and effect nomenclatural changes to some recognised taxa. In the A. nasuta complex, we describe four species from several latitudinal blocks of the Western Ghats and make nomenclatural emendations to the plains populations in the Indian peninsula. We effect nomenclatural change in the A. pulverulenta population of the Western Ghats and describe a new species from the A. dispar group. Our study highlights the use of a multi-criteria approach in unraveling cryptic diversity. This study also reveals a striking case of discordance between morphological and genetic divergence, and the way this is reflected in previous taxonomic and nomenclatural treatments of these populations.

We conducted a taxonomic revision of the arboreal snakes of the Boiga ceylonensis-group, all inhabiting the Indian subcontinent. Based on 15 characters, recorded from more than 100 specimens, representing eight recognized taxa, we conducted a multivariate morphometric analysis to redefine the taxonomic boundaries. We provide redescriptions of the nominate taxa in this group based on re-examination of the name-bearing types. The types of B. ceylonensis, B. beddomei, B. barnesii, B. dightoni, B. nuchalis and B. andamanensis are redescribed, where appropriate lectotypes are selected, illustrated and their nomenclature, synonymy and distribution are discussed. Status of the nominate taxon Boiga ceylonensis dakhunensis Deraniyagala, 1955 is fixed as an objective junior synonym of Dipsas nuchalis Günther, 1875. An updated key to the species of this group is presented.

The description of Rurk’s Cat Skink Ristella rurkii is expanded herein based on recent field sightings and a voucher specimen. Three individuals comprising an adult male, an adult female, and a juvenile were encountered in Kodaikanal, Palni Hills of the southern Western Ghats. Morphological and ecological notes on the voucher specimen and these live sightings are elaborated to enrich the current knowledge on this little-known species. This species is also illustrated in life herein for the first time. The current report forms the rediscovery of this species after nearly 90 years and after a lapse of 175 years since its original description. A review of its past distribution records is compiled and further surveys are recommended to revise the geographic range and conservation status of this Data Deficient species.

We present a catalogue and systematic overview of Uropeltidae Muller, 1832 based on both new and previously published molecular and morphological data, and a new molecular phylogenetic analysis. We support the monophyly and distinctiveness of Brachyophidium Wall, 1921, Melanophidium Gunther, 1864, Platyplectrurus Gunther, 1868, Pseudoplectrurus Boulenger, 1890, and Teretrurus Beddome, 1886. We move Uropeltis melanogaster (Gray, 1858), U. phillipsi (Nicholls, 1929), and Pseudotyphlops Schlegel, 1839 to Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820, and re-name Pseudotyphlops philippinus (Muller, 1832) as R. saffragamus (Kelaart, 1853), and U. smithi Gans, 1966 as U. grandis (Beddome, 1867). Thanks to these changes, the taxonomy of all these genera is based on monophyletic entities. Diagnoses based on meristic and mensural characters for external and internal anatomy are provided for the family and all genera, and accounts are given for all currently recognized species, summarizing known morphological variation. We note several taxa that continue to be of uncertain phylogenetic affinity, and outline necessary future studies of variation in systematically valuable characters such as rostral and tail morphology. Cryptic variation is likely present in many species, and additional collection of specimens and DNA-sequence data will likely be needed to provide conclusive resolution for remaining taxonomic issues. Numerous questions remain for the systematics of Uropeltidae, and we hope that this study will provide a platform for ongoing research into the group, including the description of cryptic species, clarifying the phylogenetic placement of some remaining taxa, and quantifying the range of intra- and inter-specific variation in crucial morphological characters.

Uropeltis is the most speciose of all shieldtail snake (uropeltid) genera, particularly in India, and has been bedeviled by a complex and intricate taxonomic history, with several weakly established synonyms and widely disjunct geographic ranges. Our present work on two Indian Uropeltis species revealed greater species diversity than what is currently recognised. We elevate Uropeltis arcticeps madurensis to species level, and revive Silybura shorttii (in the combination Uropeltis shorttii) from the subjective synonymy of U. ceylanicus. We provide differential diagnoses, descriptions of examined material and comparisons with similar species based on an examination of voucher specimens as well as fresh, uncollected topotypes documented in the field.

We report on the finding of the Günther Toad Duttaphrynus hololius from Visakhapatnam and discuss aspects of its distribution based on our species distribution modeling. We also provide data on historically collected specimens and refine its intra-specific variation, provide an up-to-date chresonymy and comment on the validity of earlier reported diagnosis. Lastly, we remark on some misidentification-mediated dubious southern Indian records of another, related congener, the Marbled Toad D. stomaticus and correct some misallocations by referring them to another syntopic congener, the Dwarf Toad D. scaber.

Description of a poorly-known endemic Indian homalopsid water snake Enhydris dussumierii is expanded based on character state data obtained anew from newly examined live and preserved specimens in captive facilities. Knowledge on the natural history of this uncommon, endemic species is supplemented by our observations. Further field surveys in southwestern Indian coastal plains are recommended for fully documenting the geographic range of this species.

Cnemaspis heteropholis Bauer, 2002 was hitherto defined based only on its holotype, an adult female collected from Gund hill range, Western Ghats, India. Recently we observed adult male and juvenile specimens of this species at Agumbe, ca. 200km south of its type locality and consequently we recharacterize and expand the definition of this species by providing information about intraspecific variation based on the new specimens. Colouration in life and natural history data are also provided.

Rediscovery of a rare venomous snake after nearly two centuries (since R.H.Beddome's period). Provides revised diagnosis for the species and updates the congener-comparison. Highlights the lack of taxonomic studies in south Indian coral snakes, particularly the striped coral snake sp. Complex.

We reassess the systematics of Hemidactylus scabriceps, a recently rediscovered and poorly known gecko, and elucidate its phylogenetic position using molecular data for the first time. Contrary to previous speculations prompted by its morphological resemblance to other terrestrial Hemidactylus, our phylogenetic analyses recovered H. scabriceps to be a part of a clade consisting of the large-bodied, rock-dwelling Hemidactylus – the H. prashadi group. Hemidactylus scabriceps also shows high levels of intraspecific genetic divergence, indicative of cryptic diversity. We also confirm the synonymy of the monotypic genus Lophopholis (erected for H. scabriceps) with Hemidactylus. We elaborate on the morphology of the type specimen and other recent voucher specimens, and compare it with sister species and other ground-dwelling Hemidactylus in peninsular India. Species distribution of this ‘outlier’ clade member has been modeled using MaxEnt. These exercises confirm that it is primarily a smooth-scaled, plain-dwelling, terrestrial species unlike other members in its clade. This unexpected pattern of genetic alliance and contrasting body form plus habitat associations further underscores the unstudied complexity of peninsular India’s geological history. Historical denudation of rock formations could have driven evolution of some of these otherwise rupicolous, scansorial gekkonids into smaller terrestrial lizards.

The government of India, during the late 1960s, was exerting pressure on multinational corporations throughout the country to tailor their activities to suit domestic needs. During this period, most foreign oil companies, such as Burmah Shell, Mobil, Caltex, Balmer-Lawrie, and a few large foreign engineering companies, such as Jessop, Bird, Braithwaite, Richardson & Cruddas, were all nationalized in phases. The government then imposed lots of restrictions on many industries importing goods, and levied higher import duties on a few selected items. These actions were taken by the government to justify the development of local industries, and to generate more domestic employment for large numbers of unemployed, though educated, youth. However, by the 1990s, the government of India had to come to terms with the activities of the World Trade Organization. All trade barriers and restrictions previously imposed had to be removed to allow much needed foreign exchange for the development of the economy to be raised. This meant more business opportunities for some of the multinationals that had been closely observing government policy changes.

This paper focuses on technology as a central force in shaping cultural and environmental conditions as well as their interrelationships within an organisation. The research was carried out in Systems India Ltd., a subsidiary of Systems Corporation of USA, which is one of the oldest multinational corporations in the world. The two case studies from Systems India Ltd. bring out the ‘role of strategy in technological changes’ and the ‘role of leadership in technological changes.’ The findings of these two case studies when compared with three partner companies in similar industry indicated similar relationship between culture and technological change and organisational culture in Systems India Ltd.

We present new records of the Indian Sand Snake Psammophis condanarus from southern India, where its existence has remained doubtful till date. Our records are based on both live and preserved voucher specimens that are illustrated and described here. We furnish distribution records of this species from two sites belonging to two different ecoregions in southern India—Tirupati in the Eastern Ghats and Hospete in the Deccan plateau. Our work highlights the obscurity of certain, large-growing, diurnal land snakes that have as yet managed to evade the attention of field biologists largely due to a lack of field surveys in certain ecoregions.

MB and MR were funded by a grant from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, BC by the Rufford Foundation. North American and Mexican species assessments were funded by the Regina Bauer Frankenberg Foundation for Animal Welfare. Species assessments under the Global Reptile Assessment (GRA) initiative are supported by: Moore Family Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Conservation International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), and European Commission. Additional acknowledgements are included in the online supplementary material. The assessment workshop for Mexican reptiles was kindly hosted by Ricardo Ayala and the station personnel of the Estacion de Biologia Chamela, Institut de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Workshop and logistical organisation of the Philippines assessments was provided by the Conservation International Philippines Office, in particular Ruth Grace Rose Ambal, Melizar V. Duya and Oliver Coroza. Workshop and logistical organisation for the European Reptile and Amphibian Assessments was provided by Doga Dernegi, in particular Ozge Balkiz and Ozgur Koc. Workshop and logistical organisation for assessments of sea snakes and homalopsids was provided by the International Sea Turtle Symposium and Dr. Colin Limpus (Australian Government Environmental Protection Agency). Special thanks to Jenny Chapman (EPA) and Chloe Schaub le (ISTS). Thank you also to Dr. Gordon Guymer (Chief Botanist Director of Herbarium) for accommodating us at the Herbarium in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens, and Mark Read and Kirsten Dobbs (Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks Association) and Dave Pollard and Brad Warren (Ocean Watch Australia) for institutional support. Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, Conservation International Madagascar and the Darwin Initiative contributed to funding the costs of the Madagascar reptile workshop., Effective and targeted conservation action requires detailed information about species, their distribution, systematics and ecology as well as the distribution of threat processes which affect them. Knowledge of reptilian diversity remains surprisingly disparate, and innovative means of gaining rapid insight into the status of reptiles are needed in order to highlight urgent conservation cases and inform environmental policy with appropriate biodiversity information in a timely manner. We present the first ever global analysis of extinction risk in reptiles, based on a random representative sample of 1500 species (16% of all currently known species). To our knowledge, our results provide the first analysis of the global conservation status and distribution patterns of reptiles and the threats affecting them, highlighting conservation priorities and knowledge gaps which need to be addressed urgently to ensure the continued survival of the world’s reptiles. Nearly one in five reptilian species are threatened with extinction, with another one in five species classed as Data Deficient. The proportion of threatened reptile species is highest in freshwater environments, tropical regions and on oceanic islands, while data deficiency was highest in tropical areas, such as Central Africa and Southeast Asia, and among fossorial reptiles. Our results emphasise the need for research attention to be focussed on tropical areas which are experiencing the most dramatic rates of habitat loss, on fossorial reptiles for which there is a chronic lack of data, and on certain taxa such as snakes for which extinction risk may currently be underestimated due to lack of population information. Conservation actions specifically need to mitigate the effects of human-induced habitat loss and harvesting, which are the predominant threats to reptiles., Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Rufford Foundation, Regina Bauer Frankenberg Foundation for Animal Welfare, Moore Family Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Conservation International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), European Commission Joint Research Centre, Zayed Species Conservation Fund, Conservation International Madagascar, Darwin Initiative