Response to comment on "The placental mammal ancestor and the post-K-Pg radiation of placentals".
Tree-building with diverse data maximizes explanatory power. Application of molecular clock models to ancient speciation events risks a bias against detection of fast radiations subsequent to the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) event. Contrary to Springer et al., post-K-Pg placental diversification does not require "virus-like" substitution rates. Even constraining clade ages to their model, the explosive model best explains placental evolution.
Department of Anatomical Sciences, HSC T-8 (040), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8081, USA. maureen.oleary@stonybrook.edu
Maureen A
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Goldberg
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Cirranello
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D005580:Fossils; D008322:Mammals; D010802:Phylogeny; D011247:Pregnancy