RECORDS OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM 81 183–204 (2013) DOI: 10.18195/issn.0313-122x.81.2013.183-204 SUPPLEMENT Islands and scales: a biogeographic survey of reptiles on Kimberley islands, Western Australia Russell Palmer1*, David J. Pearson1, Mark A. Cowan1 and Paul Doughty2 1 Department of Environment and Conservation, Science Division, PO Box 51, Wanneroo, Western Australia 6946, Australia. 2 Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew St, Welshpool, Western Australia 6106, Australia. *Corresponding author:
[email protected] ABSTRACT – The Northern Kimberley region in north-western Australia has high biodiversity and conservation values, including a rich herpetofauna with high levels of endemism. To date, the numerous islands off the coast have been little surveyed. We surveyed 24 of the largest islands along the Kimberley coast for reptiles between 2007 and 2010, to improve our understanding of biogeographical patterns of the region and to locate populations of species that may be threatened by factors including changed fi re regimes and Cane Toad invasion. We recorded 79 species of terrestrial reptiles. Species richness ranged from 14 to 32 taxa per island (mean = 22), and tended to increase with island area. Many taxa (36.7%) were Northern Kimberley endemics, 10 of which are only known from island populations. There were numerous new records for islands, range extensions and the discovery of at least three new taxa. Classifi cation based on species presence/absence data identifi ed several distinct clusters of islands, with geographical location of islands, extent of rugged, rocky habitat and climatic gradients at a regional scale having important infl uences on reptile communities.