To overcome those methodological problems, they propose a new method that uses as data the individual records because the process of obtaining the ranges, either with grids or vectorial alternatives, the informa tion provided by direct evidence (punctual records) is masked (Dos Santos et al. 2008, p. 446). They claim (Dos Santos et al. 2008, p. 447) that their method yields results strictly adjusted to a notion of endemism in the sense of species restricted to an area. Whereas the criticisms to some of the methods they cite may be valid, others are hardly relevant or con stitute only misrepresentations. In addition, their new techniques are?as we discuss below?based on sub stantial alterations to the traditional notion of endemism