Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in Italy

Predictive models of species distribution may be very useful for understanding actual distribution of elusive species, including several snakes. The southern smooth snake (Coronella girondica) is likely the most elusive snake species of peninsular Italy, and is therefore well-suited for predicting p...

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Main Authors: Pierluigi Bombi, Luca Luiselli, Massimo Capula, Daniele Salvi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Firenze University Press 2009-07-01
Series:Acta Herpetologica
Online Access:https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ah/article/view/1552
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spelling doaj-cf88e884fd98422596198fc17759e7de2020-11-24T21:27:39ZengFirenze University PressActa Herpetologica1827-96351827-96432009-07-014110.13128/Acta_Herpetol-29502818Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in ItalyPierluigi BombiLuca LuiselliMassimo CapulaDaniele SalviPredictive models of species distribution may be very useful for understanding actual distribution of elusive species, including several snakes. The southern smooth snake (Coronella girondica) is likely the most elusive snake species of peninsular Italy, and is therefore well-suited for predicting potential distribution studies. In this paper we predict the potential distribution map of this species in Italy by using MAXENT algorithm, that finds the probability distribution of maximum entropy that is constrained by considered ecological parameters. Presence data for Coronella girondica were gotten from CKmap. The potential distribution model of Coronella girondica showed a very good overall performance (AUC = 0.959), and indicated that high suitability areas correspond mainly to Tyrrhenian north and central regions, including Liguria, western Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, and northern Latium. Southern Italian regions were clearly unsuitable for this snake species. Overall, our study revealed that previous distribution maps indicating the occurrence of Coronella girondica in southern Italy and Sicily were poorly reliable. The conservation and management implications of our study are also addressed.https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ah/article/view/1552
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Pierluigi Bombi
Luca Luiselli
Massimo Capula
Daniele Salvi
spellingShingle Pierluigi Bombi
Luca Luiselli
Massimo Capula
Daniele Salvi
Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in Italy
Acta Herpetologica
author_facet Pierluigi Bombi
Luca Luiselli
Massimo Capula
Daniele Salvi
author_sort Pierluigi Bombi
title Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in Italy
title_short Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in Italy
title_full Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in Italy
title_fullStr Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in Italy
title_full_unstemmed Predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the Southern smooth snake, <i>Coronella girondica</i>, in Italy
title_sort predicting elusiveness: potential distribution model of the southern smooth snake, <i>coronella girondica</i>, in italy
publisher Firenze University Press
series Acta Herpetologica
issn 1827-9635
1827-9643
publishDate 2009-07-01
description Predictive models of species distribution may be very useful for understanding actual distribution of elusive species, including several snakes. The southern smooth snake (Coronella girondica) is likely the most elusive snake species of peninsular Italy, and is therefore well-suited for predicting potential distribution studies. In this paper we predict the potential distribution map of this species in Italy by using MAXENT algorithm, that finds the probability distribution of maximum entropy that is constrained by considered ecological parameters. Presence data for Coronella girondica were gotten from CKmap. The potential distribution model of Coronella girondica showed a very good overall performance (AUC = 0.959), and indicated that high suitability areas correspond mainly to Tyrrhenian north and central regions, including Liguria, western Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, and northern Latium. Southern Italian regions were clearly unsuitable for this snake species. Overall, our study revealed that previous distribution maps indicating the occurrence of Coronella girondica in southern Italy and Sicily were poorly reliable. The conservation and management implications of our study are also addressed.
url https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ah/article/view/1552
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