REPLY TO TETA ET AL. (2020): ON THE DISTINCTION AND AVAILABILITY OF THE NEW TAXA PROPOSED BY AGNOLIN ET AL. 2019.

In a recent work Teta and collaborators conclude that all taxonomic decisions and new taxa established by Agnolin et al. should be considered invalid. It is not our aim to analyze point by point the criticisms and observations made by Teta et al., some of which we recognize are correct. In the present contribution we emphasize on the epistemological and philosophical flaws made by those authors. Teta et al. sustain their critics almost on authority criterion, acting as judge and jury on what works and what does not in mammalogy. We are convinced that without discussion there is a danger that any scientific discipline can be transformed in a dogma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]