About the Journal
Focus, Scope and Objectives
Tropical Zoology is an international zoological journal publishing original papers in the field of systematics, biogeography, phylogeny, ecology and conservation of all terrestrial and aquatic animal Phyla from tropical and subtropical areas.
Only papers with new information, high quality and broad interest are considered. Single species description and checklists are not normally accepted. Review papers are welcome. The journal is owned by the Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Florence, Italy (CNR-IRET) who performs research into the structure and functioning of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, focusing in particular on anthropogenic pressure and global change. The knowledge amassed forms the scientific basis for identifying the most appropriate protective and corrective interventions, and provides support for the bodies entrusted with formulating policies for environmental protection and recovery.
Tropical Zoology has an impact factor of 0.7 (2023, Science Citation Index Expanded) and it is present in many literature indexes and databases such as Scopus, Scimago, BIOSIS Previews, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, Biological Abstracts, BIOSIS Previews, Current Contents Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences, Essential Science Indicators, Zoological Record and many others.
Tropical Zoology is also indexed in: Academic Search Complete, AgBiotechNet, Animal Breeding Abstracts, Animal Science Database, ArticleFirst, Biocontrol News and Information, Biological Abstracts (Online), Biological Sciences, BIOSIS Previews, CAB Abstracts, Crop Science Database, Ecology Abstracts (Online), Environmental Impact, Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management, Forest Science Database, Forestry Abstracts, Global Health, Grasslands and Forage Abstracts (Online), Helminthological Abstracts (Online), Horticultural Science Database, Irrigation and Drainage Abstracts (Online), Maize Abstracts (Online), Organic Research Database, Parasitology Database, Plant Breeding Abstracts (Online), Plant Genetics and Breeding Database, Poultry Abstracts (Online), ProQuest Natural Science Journals, ProQuest SciTech Journals, Referativnyi Zhurnal, Review of Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Rice Abstracts, Rural Development Abstracts, Soil Science Database, Soils and Fertilizers (Online), Sugar Industry Abstracts, TOC Premier (Table of Contents), TropAg & Rural, Tropical Diseases Bulletin, Veterinary Science Database, Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide, World Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Abstracts.
Four issues online, two printed issues per year.
The Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Firenze (CNR-IRET) and our publisher make every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in our publications. However, CNR-IRET and our publisher, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by CNR-IRET and our publisher. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. The CNR-IRET and our publisher shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to, or arising out of the use of the Content.
The journal was previously published by Taylor&Francis; since 2020 passed on to PAGEPress Publications.
Peer review process
Peer review is applied to all research articles and the majority of other article types published in PAGEPress journals. This usually entails at least two independent, expert peer reviewers.
Policy
All submissions to Tropical Zoology are first checked for completeness (criteria for desk reject are available in the Guide for Authors) before being sent to an Editor, who decides whether they are suitable for peer review. If an Editor is on the author list or has a competing interest in a particular manuscript, another member of the Editorial Board will be assigned to oversee peer review. When making a decision, Editors will consider the peer-reviewed reports, but they will not be bound by the opinions or recommendations contained in them. A single peer reviewer's or the Editor's concern may result in the manuscript being rejected. Peer review reports are sent to authors along with the editorial decision on their manuscript.
At Tropical Zoology papers undergo a single-blind review process - meaning that the reviewers’ identity is not shared with the authors.
Selection
Peer reviewer selection is critical to the publication process. A variety of factors influence it, including expertise, reputation, specific recommendations, conflicts of interest, and previous performance. All of these qualities are highly desirable: speed, thoroughness, sound reasoning, and collegiality.
When two independent peer reviewers cannot be obtained, the Editor may act as a second reviewer or make a decision based on only one report. If acting as a second reviewer, the editor must have sufficient knowledge in the area and sign the review to ensure transparency in the peer review process.
Before accepting an invitation to review a manuscript, potential peer reviewers should notify the Editor of any potential conflicts of interest. Editors' and peer reviewers' communications contain confidential information that should not be shared with third parties.
PAGEPress journals are committed to making editorial decisions and publishing them as soon as possible, and we believe that an efficient editorial process benefits both our authors and the research community as a whole. As a result, we ask reviewers to respond within the agreed-upon time frame. If reviewers anticipate a delay, we ask that they notify us so that we can keep the authors updated and, if necessary, find alternative solutions.
Diversity and equity
PAGEPress is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strives for demographic diversity among peer reviewers. When inviting peer reviewers, editors are bly encouraged to consider geographical regions, gender identities, racial/ethnic groups, and other groups.
Misconduct
False or misleading information, such as identity theft and suggesting fake peer-reviewers, will result in the manuscript being rejected, further investigation in accordance with PAGEPress' misconduct policy (https://www.pagepress.org/site/plagiarism_misconduct), and notification to the authors' institutions/employers. PAGEPress journals follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance about peer reviewer fraud/falsification.
Guidance
The primary goal of peer review is to provide the Editor with the information needed to make a fair, evidence-based decision that adheres to the journal's editorial criteria. Review reports should also assist authors in revising their paper so that it can be accepted for publication. Reports that include a recommendation to reject the paper should explain the major flaws in the research; this will help the authors prepare their manuscript for possible re-submission (if allowed by the Editor) or submission to a different journal.
A quick guide to reviewing is available here
Before submitting a report, reviewers should ask themselves the following questions:
- How would you react if you received this report?
- Do you find the tone offensive?
- Is it polite and professional?
- Do the authors or their competitors receive any unnecessary personal or antagonistic remarks?
Please keep in mind that any offensive language in your report may be removed by the Editor.
Publication Frequency
All papers are published as soon as they have been accepted, by adding them to the "current" volume's Table of Contents.
Open Access Policy
Upon request from the author(s) and upon payment of the required fees, this journal provides immediate open access to its content, on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
Archiving
This journal utilizes the PKP Preservation Network, the Global LOCKSS Network and Portico to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration.
Pre- and post-prints
PAGEPress allows and encourages authors to deposit both their pre- and post-prints in Open-Access institutional archives or repositories. The primary benefit of pre- and post-print self-archiving is reaching a larger audience which enhances the visibility and impact of your research.