Scientific evidence is subject to challenge, not just by new evidence, but by all who evaluate the evidence presented. One can certainly challenge the accuracy and/or the adequacy of the data presented.

Further, even if one agrees that the evidence presented is adequate for the most part, one does not necessarily have to agree with the conclusion. For example, even if one has no problem with the mtDNA data of Burbrink, one does not necessarily have to agree with his conclusion that each of the mtDNA lineages of Elaphe guttata is a distinct species. As another example, one can agree that many nonvenomous snakes have toxic chemicals in their secretion, but one can certainly disagree with Fry et al.'s claim that these snakes are venomous.

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