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Instructions for authors

Version 1, February 2003
Journal of Systematic Palaeontology
Scope of publication | Submission | Copyright | Style Guide | Computer files
Scope of publication

The Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, as a direct successor to The Bulletin of the Natural History Museum, London: Geology Series, will publish major papers describing new or poorly understood faunas or floras, and papers which use systematics in ways that significantly advance our understanding of palaeogeography, palaeobiology, functional morphology, palaeoecology, biostratigraphy or phylogenetic relationships. Shorter contributions on technical or conceptual issues relating to systematic methodology and conservation issues are also welcome. However, papers that simply present systematic descriptions without attempting to explain their broader significance to palaeontology will not be published. The bulk of the journal will be composed of original research articles.

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Submission
Both hard copy and electronic copy should be submitted. Please send two paper copies of the typescript, ensuring all copies of figures and illustrations are of high quality and reduced to final size (see below, Style Guide). To ensure rapid handling in the review and editing process please also submit an electronic version of the text and illustrations on CD-ROM or Zip disk (see below, Computer files). Your paper will be sent out for review by two specialists and, based on their reports and the editor's own assessment, a decision on the suitability of the paper for publication will be made.

Hard copy and CD-ROM should be submitted to: Dr Andrew B Smith (Journal of Systematic Palaeontology), Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.

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Copyright

Each author will be asked to sign a statement transferring full and exclusive rights to their article to Cambridge University Press, who will retain copyright.

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Style Guide
General instructions

  • Use a standard typeface such as Times , Geneva or Helvetica
  • Print the typescript at 12 pt typeface and 1.5 line-spacing
  • Leave wide left- and right-hand side margins (at least 3 cm)
  • Left justify the text
  • Number all pages consecutively including title page and references
  • List Contents on a separate page following the title page
  • Print each plate caption on a separate page, print figure captions and tables on separate pages
  • Write in a clear and simple style avoiding long sentences
  • Use British spelling throughout. If in doubt follow the spelling in Chambers Dictionary
  • Material being described must be registered as part of a formal collection housed in some recognised Institution so that it is accessible and available for study by other workers
1. Title page
The first page should have the title, followed by the authors with their official addresses.

The title should be short and informative. It should include reference to the taxonomic group being covered and the stratigraphical or geographical context of the paper. Centre the title and type in lower case after the initial letter.

Each author should be listed on a separate line, flush left in roman capitol, with his or her full official address on the next line in italics. Email addresses should follow the postal address in roman.

Next provide up to six key words, not included in the title, but which may help bibliographic search engines.

Provide a word count for the text including references and figure and plate captions.
2. Contents page
A complete list of headings used in the paper should be presented with subheadings indented appropriately.
FIRST ORDER HEADINGS...........................................................p. ***

    Second order headings............................................................p.***
        Third order headings...........................................................p.***
Indicate typescript pages where the section starts. It is often useful to list all taxa being described here.
3. Abstract
The abstract is an extremely important part of the paper and care should be taken to make this concise and informative. This will be made available over the internet as well as in the printed copy. Abstracts should be no longer than 200-300 words and should summarize the main conclusions of the paper. Do not use uninformative phrases such as 'is discussed' but rather concentrate on itemizing results. New taxonomic names being erected for the first time should be listed.

Type on a separate page (page 3), left-justified, starting with the word ABSTRACT.

4. Text
The text should be written in as clear and understandable way as possible. Use three levels of heading. Within the body of the text, paragraphs should follow on without a line-space, and with the first word indented.
(i) Headings
FIRST ORDER HEADINGS
Should be in capitals and centred. Text should follow after a space of one line.

SECOND ORDER HEADINGS Should be flush left and in capitals. Text should commence on the following line.

Third order headings. These should be in italics and set flush left. Text should follow on immediately on the same line.
(ii)Citing references. References should be cited in the text as follows:
Gauthier (1902) or (Gauthier 1902) for single authors.
Cotteau & Triger (1855) or (Cotteau & Triger 1855), for two authors.
Skelton et al. (1990) or (Skelton et al. 1990) for multiple authored works.
Lambert in Lambert & Thiery (1925) or (Lambert in Lambert & Thiery 1925).
Ali (1989, 1992a, b) or (Ali 1989, 1992a, b) for citing two or more publications.
(Ward & Cooper 1999, Keith 2001) for multiple references.
(iii) Citing illustrations.
Figures and plates must all be referred to in the text. Use Fig. when referring to a single illustration or part of an illustration and Figs when referring to two or more separate illustrations. Use Pl. and Pls when referring to one or more plate illustrations.
5. Taxonomic layout.
In papers which include systematic descriptions, please use the following style guide. The section should always start with a first-order heading:
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS

Supraspecific taxa. Centre and place name in bold. Italicize generic names, but leave higher taxa in roman. Provide authorship details (name and date of publication) and ensure these are included in the bibliography.

If necessary, list synonyms immediately beneath, with details of the type species. Centre this text and place within square brackets.

Successive paragraphs can then follow as necessary, documenting Type species, Diagnosis, Occurrence, Description, and Remarks as second order headings.

Species-level taxonomy. Species names should always be preceeded by text indicating the supraspecific placement at generic level. Higher catagories are optional, and the use of plesions and annotated heirarchical systems such as that of Wiley, E. O. 1979 (Systematic Zoology 28, 308-337) is encouraged if appropriate.
  • Species names should be in bold and italics and begin at the left-hand margin
  • References to plates and illustrations should follow on the same line
  • A synonymy list should list previous names as published, and listed in order of publication. The author should be separated from the published name by a semicolon and full bibliographic details given. Annotations following Mathews, S. C. (1973 Palaeontology 16, 713-719) may be added.
  • Types should be listed (ensure any abbreviations for museum collections are explained somewhere in the text).
  • Subsequent paragraphs should then deal with Diagnosis, Occurrence, Description and Remarks in that order

6. References

  • Authors should be in lower case and bold.
  • List authors alphabetically.
  • Multiple publications by one author should be listed chronologically.
  • Where there are co-authors, list all papers with sole authorship first, then those with two, and finally those with three or more. Use & to link two or more authors.
  • Indent succeeding lines in each citation.

(i) Journals

  • Journal titles should be given in full and italicised.
  • The volume number should be in bold.
  • Pagination should be given in full and separated from the volume number by a colon.
  • Plates should only be listed if they are not included within the pagination cited.

Bittner, A. 1892. Ueber Echiniden des Tertiars von Australien. Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe, 101(3): 331-371, pls 1-4.

Checcia-Rispoli, G. 1917. "Zuffardia," nuovo genere di Echinidi del Cretaceo superiore della Tripolitania raccolti dal cav. Ignazio Sanfilippo. Giornale di Scienze Naturali ed Economiche di Palermo, 30: 14 pp., 1 pl.

Clark, H. L. 1923. Two new genera of sea-urchins. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard, 65: 341-348.

Gallemí, J. 1977. Los yacimientos con equínidos del nivel "Homes Morts" entre los ríos N. Pallaresa y N. Ribagorzana (Cret. Sup. del Prepirineo de Lérida). Publicaciones de Geología Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 6: 1-92, pls 1-12.

Gallemí, J., Lôpez, G., Martínez, R., Muñoz, J. & Pons, J.M. 1995. Distribution of some Campanian and Maastrichtian macrofaunas in southeast Spain. Cretaceous Research, 16: 257-271.

Lambert, J. 1905. In Doncieux, A, Fossiles nummulitiques de l'Aube et de l'Herault. Annales de la Université de Lyon, 17: 129-164, pl. 5.

(ii) Books

  • Italicise the title of the book.
  • Give publisher and city of publication followed by number of pages.
  • For chapters within books follow the style guide below. Use (ed.) and (eds) to indicate editorship.

Bardack, D. 1997. Wormlike animals: Enteropneusta (acorn worms). Pp. 89-92 in D. W. Shabica, and A. A. Hay (eds) Richardson's Guide to the Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek. Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago.

Benito, J. & Pardos, F. 1997. Hemichordata. Pp. 15-102 in F.W. Harrison & E.E. Ruppert (eds) Microscopic anatomy of invertebrates. Volume 15, Hemichordata, Chaetognatha, and the invertebrate chordates. Wiley-Liss: New York.

Carroll, S. B., Grenier, J. K. & Weatherbee, S. D. 2001. From DNA to diversity: molecular genetics and the evolution of animal design. Blackwell Science, Oxford, 214 pp.

Claus, C.F.W. 1880. Grundzüge der Zoologie (4th edition). Volume 2, Marburg & Leipzig, 522 pp.

Young, G. & Bird, J. 1828. A geological survey of the Yorkshire Coast: describing the strata and fossils occurring between the Humber and the Tees, from the German Ocean to the Plain of York. 2nd edition. Whitby. iv + 367 pp., 19 pls.

7. Illustrations

All illustrations, whether line drawings or photographs, can be numbered as text -figures consecutively through the text, but, if desired, groups of figured specimens occupying whole pages can be called plates, which will be numbered and distributed through the text independently of the text -figures. Separate numbers should be given to each specimen, with different views of the same specimen distinguished by suffix letters a, b, c, &c. The maximum size for full-page illustrations is 175 mm x 235 mm, or 84 mm wide to fit a single column, and figures should be designed to use make good use of the space. Drawings should normally be prepared at x 1.5 of final size or larger, but photographs can be for reproduction x1. Original drawings should not be larger than A3 in overall size.

Figures can be prepared with on either white or black backgrounds, though the former are preferred. If photographs are to be mounted on a white background, they should be either trimmed as regular rectangles, or close trimmed up to the edge of the specimen, or trimmed to leave a narrow white border round the specimen. In all cases the printer will block out to produce a pure white background. Figures with black backgrounds are often less satisfactory, but if they are necessary, it is essential that the background is evenly black all over, because the printer cannot add black to cover up blemishes in the originals.

Illustrations are submitted to the printers with numbering ready prepared, and the results of various methods can be seen in recent Bulletins. Allowance should be made for reduction in size of the originals, and the final size should be the same as normal printing, ie. 11 or 12pt, or 2-2½ mm high. Letraset or Kroy letters can produce good results, but lining-up and letter spacing are often unsatisfactory. Better results are obtained by using numbers and letters generated by a wordprocessor and laser printed. The fonts used should be 11pt or 12pt Times Roman or CG Times (to match the font used on the printed page) with proportional spacing. The numbers should be accurately positioned with double-sided sellotape or glue either directly on the figure or on an overlay of tracing paper fixed to the figure.

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COMPUTER FILES

Either Macintosh or PC formatted files can be submitted. However, please list the program and version used to generate each file.

Illustrations should be saved as TIFF or PICT files. Line drawings should be stored at 600 dpi while digital images of halftones should be saved at 300 dpi final ssize.

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