(Spec. Divers.)  ISSN 1342-1670 (Print); ISSN 2189-7301 (Online)

A Peer-reviewed, Open-access Journal for Taxonomy, Systematics, Speciation, Biogeography, and Life History Research of Animals

Indexed: DOAJ, Scopus, Zoological Record; Archived: Portico

Aims and Scope

Species Diversity is an open-access journal that publishes new and significant findings on zoological diversity, with its primary focus on the terrestrial, freshwater, and marine fauna of Japan, East Asia, and the surrounding regions and seas. The journal also strives to contribute to an understanding of the faunal diversity of all parts of the world.

The editors actively encourage the submission of papers dealing with all aspects of animal taxonomy, systematics, speciation, biogeography, and life history. Various styles of paper are sought, ranging from voluminous revisions and review articles to single species descriptions, other short research reports, and essays concerning zoological nomenclature.

Species Diversity is published by the Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology (JSSZ). It was founded in 1996 as the English-language successor to the Proceedings of the Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology (Dōbutsu Bunrui Gakkai Shi: ISSN 0287-0223) [Apr. 1965–Dec.1996], which is now published by JSSZ under the title TAXA as a Japanese-language journal.

The Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology

Journal History and Publication Format

In order to facilitate prompt publication, with Vol. 5 in 2000 “Species Diversity” switched from publishing physical issues twice a year to four times each year. With Vol. 17 in 2012 the publishing schedule for physical issues (increased in size from A5 to A4 format) reverted to twice a year, with strict adherence then and subsequently to the target dates of May 25 and November 25. A more significant change that year was the introduction of an online-first model for electronic publication. 

The ability over the past 10 years to publish articles speedily online while also strictly adhering to a twice-a-year schedule for physical issues is the result of the efforts of a strong editorial board comprising experts, as well as quick attention to the many editorial tasks involved.

In order to reduce the financial burden on JSSZ and in recognition of the growing importance of electronic publication, it was decided in 2022 to publish a single combined physical issue of “Species Diversity” on November 25 each year while still strictly observing the publication dates of May 25 and November 25 (see printed issues) for the virtual issues.

Ethics and Disclosures

The journal is committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity in the content it publishes.

The journal supports the code of ethics of the "Declaration of Helsinki". Research must be conducted within this framework (https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/). Submitted manuscripts will be checked for plagiarism and duplicate publication using the Crossref Similarity Check text-matching software (https://www.crossref.org/services/similarity-check/). We endorse and follow the WAME (World Association of Medical Editors) principles and guidelines on how to deal with misconduct: Recommendations on Publication Ethics Policies for Medical Journals (https://wame.org/recommendations-on-publication-ethics-policies-for-medical-journals). 

In addition, based on the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), authors are also required to properly comply with international legislation concerning the use of genetic resources and with the laws and regulations of the countries where specimens were collected. It is also recommendedthat, in the manuscript, the authors include proper evidence of ABS compliance (e.g. code numbers of official documents, names of local institutional contacts, etc.). If necessary, the ABS advisory editor will provide authors with suggestions and recommendations on correct compliance with their ethical responsibilities.

Read the contents in NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS [click here]

Peer Review Process, Editing and Publication

Manuscripts are accepted for consideration on the understanding that the content has not concurrently been submitted or accepted for publication elsewhere. All manuscripts will be reviewed by at least two referees (single blind) selected by the Editor and Associate Editors, except for Correction or Erratum manuscripts, which will be checked by the Editor. Manuscripts revised after review will be returned to the authors again after a final round of copy-editing, check for adherence to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Fourth Edition (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999), etc. The criterion for publication is the scientific merit of the work. Final responsibility for acceptance of manuscripts lies with the Editor. The Editor and Publisher reserve the right to modify manuscripts to eliminate ambiguity and repetition, and to improve communication between author and reader.

A published article becomes the permanent property of the Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology. Prior to its publication, the author(s) should transfer the exclusive copyright of the article, which includes the rights set forth in Articles 27 and 28 of the Japanese Copyright Act, to the Society with the exception of the copyright of any supplementary material of the article. From Volume 28 Issue No. 2 in 2023, all articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium of format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source. The contents of the articles are licensed under the CC BY 4.0, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material from other sources is included in the article, it is the authors’ responsibility to obtain an appropriate permission from the copyright holder.

Read the contents in NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS [click here]

Submissions from outside Japan

The Article Processing Charge (APC) is 5,000 Japanese yen (JPY), and by paying the APC you will receive membership in the JSSZ until December of the current year. During this time, you can submit as many articles as you like without paying any page charges. Articles with at least one JSSZ member as co-author will be submitted. Of course, all papers in this journal are open access.

Submissions from within Japan

At least one JSSZ member must be among the authors of any submitted manuscript. From 2023 the annual membership dues are 8,000 JPY, which includes subscriptions to both “Species Diversity” the Japanese serial "Taxa".

Page charges

There are no page charges for papers printed in black and white, but the charges to have the figures appear in color in the printed versions are 5,000 JPY + tax per printed color page. There are no page charges if the print is in black and white and the only PDF version is in color.

Submission

Manuscripts should follow the "Notice to Contributors" to ensure that they are prepared in the style and format of the journal. Manuscripts should be sent as an email attachment to the manuscript submission address of Tomomi Saito, Editor-in-Chief <species_diversity(a)jssz.sakura.ne.jp> (replace " (a)" with "@").

Editors may give authors special instructions, especially if many image files are submitted.

In your cover letter, providing the names of three or more potential reviewers and their postal and email addresses will  facilitate the review process.

In addition, be sure to include the following four statements in your cover letter. This is important. The details are also to be clearly stated in the Ethics and Disclosures section of the manuscript.

1) All authors have agreed to submit the manuscript, and the Corresponding Author has received permission from the co-authors. [Please also state each author’s contribution to the article or research.]

2) This article has not previously been published and is not concurrently being considered for publication elsewhere

3) The article does not infringe on the copyright or other proprietary rights of any person or entity and does not contain abusive, defamatory, obscene, fraudulent, or otherwise unlawful statements of any kind.

4) The authors declare that they have no known conflicts of interest that may have influenced the work reported in this article. [If in fact any conflicts of interest exist, they must be specified here in place of this statement.]

If the above conditions are not met, the editorial process will not be initiated.

Read the contents in NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS [click here]

To Contributors

Details of NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS [click here]

"Declarations format" has been added since 2023.

Declarations format (docx; in English) (11 March 2023 updated: A new “Declarations” format has been created and is uploaded here for reference.)

Notice to Contributors (PDF; in Japanese) (28 December 2023 updated)

Application for Membership (PDF)

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Tomomi Saito, Professor: Crustacea: Usa Marine Biological Institute, Kochi University, 194 Inoshiri, Usa-cho, Tosa, Kochi 781-1164, Japan

E-mail: t-saito@kochi-u.ac.jp    ORCID: 0000-0001-9776-5453

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/ABL-5736-2022

Editorial Staffs (2024–2026)

MANAGING EDITOR

• Shinta Fujimoto, Ph.D.: Tardigrada: Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8512, Japan

E-mail: shinta.f@water-bears.com   ORCID: 0000-0002-1739-3010

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/52138066

ASSOCIATE (SUBJECT) EDITORS

• Ken Maeda, Ph.D.: Fishes: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, 904-0495 Japan

E-mail: ken.maeda@oist.jp    ORCID: 0000-0003-3631-811X  

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/1423008

• Toshio Kawai, Ph.D.: Fishes: Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, Japan

E-mail: toshio.kawai@fish.hokudai.ac.jp    ORCID: 0000-0003-0150-9207

• Shimpei F. Hiruta, Ph.D.: Crustacea: The Mt. Fuji Institute for Nature and Biology, Showa University, 4562 Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0005, Japan

E-mail: javaboo9@gmail.com    ORCID: 0000-0001-7890-1720

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/37684009

• Yoshihisa Fujita, Professor: Echinodermata and Crustacea: Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts, 1-4 Shuri-Tounokura, Naha, Okinawa 903–8602, Japan

E-mail: fujitayo@okigei.ac.jp    ORCID: 0000-0003-1906-746X

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/41223446

• Naoto Sawada, Ph.D.: Mollusca: School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan

E-mail: sawada@zoo.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp    ORCID: 0000-0002-7480-4672

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/41669976

• Natsumi Hookabe, Ph.D.: Nemertea and Annelida: Research Institute for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushimacho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan

E-mail: sofeechan312@gmail.com   ORCID: 0000-0002-3498-8614

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/48215024

• Aoi Tsuyuki, Ph.D.: Platyhelminthes: Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Sembaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan

E-mail: tykamsp0430@gmail.com   ORCID: 0000-0002-6001-0679

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/29568613

• Ken-ichi Okumura, Ph.D.: Arachnida and Other Terrestrial Arthropods: Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0005, Japan

E-mail: okumura@kahaku.go.jp

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/43235444

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

• Takafumi Nakano, Ph.D.: Copyeditor, Nomenclature-consultant, ZooBank editor, and J-Stage contents administrator: Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan

E-mail: nakano@zoo.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp    ORCID: 0000-0001-6107-2188

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/H-6164-2019

ABS ADVISORY EDITOR

• Francesco Ballarin, Ph.D.: ABS advisory editor: ABS Support Team at Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan.Japan

e-mail: ballarin.francesco@gmail.com

PAYMENT of Article Processing Charges (APC) / ADMISSION

Payments can be made via PayPal. Please send an email to the secretary and we will send you a PayPal link for payment. You can also choose to send your payment by bank transfer to "Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology". (Paypal is recommend, which has no bank charges.)

SECRETARY

Ko Tomikawa, Professor: Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-1-1, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8524 Japan

All articles published in Volume 1 in 1996 to Volume 28 Issue No. 1, of which the last work was published on 25th May 2023, are archived for free access in J-Stage (https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/specdiv/-char/en). The Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology reserves all rights of the works in Volume 1 to Volume 28 Issue No. 1 under copyright law.

In order to photocopy any work from Volume 1 to Volume 28 Issue No. 1 of Species Diversity, therefore, you or your organization must obtain permission from the following organization which has been delegated for copyright clearance by the copyright owner of this journal.

• Except in the USA

Japan Academic Association for Copyright Clearance, Inc. (JAACC)

6-41 Akasaka 9-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan

Phone: +81-3-3475-5618; Fax: +81-3-3475-5619

E-mail: jaacc@mtd.biglobe.ne.jp

• In the USA

Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC)

222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers MA 01923, USA

Phone: +1-978-750-8400; Fax: +1-978-646-8600