ENVIRONMENTAL CORRELATES TO TERRESTRIAL REPTILIAN DISTRIBUTIONS IN TEXAS

The ability of physiographic and climatological variables to explain v ariation in terrestrial reptilian distributions in Texas was explored using principal components analysis and discriminant analysis. Variabl es related to precipitation were major predictors of east-west changes in cluster affinities. North-south changes in cluster affinities were best predicted by variables related to temperature. The degree to whi ch variation in environmental factors predicts cluster affiliations wa s cited as support of the existence of discrete, biologically signific ant regions defined by the distributions of the herpetofauna of Texas.