Species area of distribution

Definition

The area contained within the shortest continuous imaginary boundary which can be drawn to encompass all the known, inferred or projected sites of occurrence, excluding cases of vagrancy and introductions outside its natural range. The area within the imaginary boundary should, however, exclude significant areas where the species does not occur, and so, in defining an area of distribution, account should be taken of discontinuities or disjunctions in the spatial distribution of species.

Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES Secretariat) 2010 1

Note: Definition equivalent to Species Extent of Occurrence (EOO).

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2012 2

Note: IUCN uses the same definition for the term 'species extent of occurence'. The two terms can therefore be seen as equivalent.