SquamataBase

SquamataBase provides a curated database and R package aggregating 18,304 predator observations comprising at least 58,633 prey items across 1,227 snake species and 3,231 prey taxa for comparative analyses of snake feeding habits.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Data Repository: Contains detailed predator-prey interaction records from 18,304 individual predators, 1,227 snake species, 58,633 prey items, and at least 3,231 prey taxa.
• R Package Distribution: Data are packaged in R and include functions for common data manipulation and filtering operations.
• Centralized Natural History Diet Observations: Consolidates diet observations to enable synthesis and comparative analyses across macroecology and macroevolution studies.

Scientific Applications:

• Macroecology: Investigating predator-prey dynamics and dietary specialization among snake species at broad spatial and taxonomic scales.
• Macroevolution: Exploring phylogenetic relationships and trait evolution related to feeding habits in snakes.
• Biodiversity Science: Integrating with digitization and public natural history databases to expand analyses of biological diversity and natural history data.

Methodology:

Data are distributed within an R package and include basic functionality for data manipulation and filtering.