REPLYING TO S. Meiri & E. Levin Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32715-0 (2022)

In an article examining the physiology of Early Jurassic mammaliaform stem-mammals, we used proxies for basal and maximum metabolic rate, providing evidence that two key fossil mammaliaforms had metabolic rates closer to modern reptiles than modern mammals¹. Meiri and Levin² questioned the use of our proxy for basal metabolic rate – terrestrial species maximum lifespan in the wild. Here, we explore the evidence behind these differences in viewpoint, and rebut specific points raised by these authors. read the reply