Herpetology Asia

Asian Commission on Herpetology

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    • Author Instructions

    Instructions to Authors

    Asian Herpetologist is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access (CC BY) journal of the Asian Herpetological Association (AHA), published biannually by PT. Asia Pacific International. The journal is devoted exclusively to the reptiles and amphibians of Asia, covering all aspects of Asian herpetology, including Systematics, taxonomy, nomenclature, evolution, phylogenetics, comparative herpetology, morphology, anatomy, biogeography, landscape dynamics, ecology, natural history, behavior, population biology, demography, applied herpetology, conservation, disease and health, physiology, herpetoculture, captive management, husbandry science, methodological advances and technologies; and historical, cultural and anthropological dimensions of Asian herpetology.

    The journal accepts original research articles, monographs, notes, short communications, reviews, and exceptional field observations that significantly deepen scientific understanding of Asian herpetofauna. Manuscripts that are purely descriptive without analytical depth, or those presenting minimal data, will not be considered.

    All manuscripts must be written in English and submitted through the journal’s submission portal. Manuscripts must follow the formatting guidelines below. Non-compliant submissions will be returned without review.

     

    Manuscript Types

    1. Major Articles. Full-length manuscripts typically exceed 2,000 words. These must include original data or substantial new insights. New species descriptions must follow ICZN rules and deposit type material in recognised national or international repositories. Required elements:

    • Manuscript title

    • Author(s)’ names

    • Author(s)’ full addresses

    • Corresponding author’s e-mail

    • Abstract

    • Keywords

    • Manuscript text

    • Author contributions

    • Acknowledgments

    • Research permits

    • Funding information

    • Literature cited

    • Tables

    • Figure legends

    Formatting rules follow the ASIAN HERPETOLOGIST structure identically:

    Manuscript Title. Capitalised (except scientific names), left-aligned, 14 pt., max. 140 characters including spaces.

    Author Names. One given name + surname only; additional names must be initialised. No initials after surname (except Jr., Sr., III). Font 12 pt., left aligned. Use “&” before the last author.

    Author Addresses. Italicised, 10 pt., left aligned. Do not include job titles.

    Corresponding Author Email. Maximum two. Italicised, 10 pt.

    Abstract. ≤150 words, left-aligned, 11 pt., 1.5 line spacing.

    Keywords. ≤8 terms, alphabetical order, no words duplicated from the title.

    Manuscript Text

    Left-aligned, 11 pt., 1.5 line-spaced. Two levels of headings only.

    Level 1 Headings (bold):

    • Abstract

    • Introduction

    • Material and Methods

    • Results

    • Taxonomy

    • Discussion

    • Conclusion (if any)

    • Recommendations (if any)

    • Author contributions

    • Acknowledgments

    • Research permits

    • Funding information

    • Supplemental data

    • Literature cited

    Level 2 Headings

    Italic + bold.
    No third-level headings unless italicised or underlined.

    References in Text

    Follow ASIAN HERPETOLOGIST style exactly:

    • 1–2 authors: both surnames. Example: Chan & Rao 2018

    • 3+ authors: first author + et al. Example: Khan et al. 2013

    • Taxonomic authorship includes comma + year: Cyrtodactylus asianus Smith, 2020

    • Multiple works by the same author/year: Li 2017a,b; Li 2018

    Chronological order within text citations.

    Tables & Figures

    Tables

    • Plain formatting, no shading or styles

    • At manuscript end or uploaded separately

    • Indicate placement (Table 1), (Table 2)… in blue

    • Large tables = supplemental files

    Figures

    • Submit all figures as a single PDF

    • Do not embed figures in Word

    • Indicate placement (Fig. 1), (Fig. 2)… in blue

    Figure Legends

    Standalone, placed at the end of the manuscript. Use Figure (not “Fig.”).

    Short Communications

    <2,000 words, no abstract, no major section headings.
    Concise, limited figures/tables.
    Title max. 12 words on one line.

    Author Contributions

    State the role of each author (concept, design, data collection, analysis, writing).
    Only those with meaningful intellectual contributions may be listed as authors.

    Acknowledgements

    Identify persons by first name + surname (for major articles).
    Initials + surname for short communications.
    Do not include titles (e.g., Dr., Prof.).

    Research Permits

    All fieldwork permits, collection permits, and ethical approvals must be cited here.

    Funding Information

    State all grants, funding bodies, and financial support.

    Literature Cited (Reference Style)

    Follow ASIAN HERPETOLOGIST’s reference style exactly:

    Authorship (Year).

    Single author: Surname, Initials. (Year).
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T. (2009).

    Two authors: Surname, Initials. & Initials. Surname (Year).
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T. & U. Manthey (2009).

    Three authors: Surname, Initials., Initials. Surname & Initials. Surname (Year).
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T., U. Manthey & E. Stöckli (2009).

    Multiple authors: Surname, Initials., Initials. Surname, Initials. Surname et al (Year).
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T., U. Manthey, E. Stöckli et al. (2009).

    Journal Articles

    Authorship (Year). Journal article title. Journal Name, Volume No(Issue No): Pages.
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T. (2009). The original descriptions of Agamid lizards of Sri Lanka. Taprobanica, 1(1): 2–15.

    Books

    Authorship (Year). Book Title. Publisher, Publisher’s City: Pages.
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T. (2009). The Reptiles of Indonesia. Oxford University Press, London: 200pp.

    Edited Books

    Editor (ed.) (Year). Book Title. Publisher, Publisher’s City: Pages.
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T. (ed.) (2009). The Reptiles of Indonesia. Oxford University Press, London: 200pp.

    Book Chapters / Supplementary Monographs

    Authorship (Year). Chapter Title. Pages. In: Editor (ed). Book Title. Publisher, Publisher’s City.
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T. (2009). Geckos of Indonesia. Pp. 30–38. In: Riyanto, A. (ed). Geckos of the World. Oxford University Press, London.

    Theses / Proceedings

    Authorship (Year). Thesis/Proceeding Title. PhD thesis, Institution, City.
    Example: Amarasinghe, A.A.T. (2009). Systematics and Evolution of Agamid Lizards of Indonesia. PhD thesis. Universitas Indonesia, Depok.

    Websites

    Authorship (Year). Title <URL> Accessed date.
    Example: Uetz, P. (2025). Reptile Database <www.reptile-database.reptarium.cz> Accessed on 1 April 2025.

    Cover Letter

    A signed PDF cover letter must accompany the submission. Include the Confirmation of originality, Statement of no simultaneous submission, Author names & affiliations, and any important notes for editors.

    Submission

    Submit via the online portal. Include Google Drive link to Manuscript (Word); Google Drive link to Cover letter (PDF); Google Drive link to Figures (PDF); Google Drive link to Tables / Supplementary files (Word/Excel); Names & emails of three potential expert reviewers; and Names of any opposed reviewers.

    MS. Word & PDF Proofs

    Authors will receive proofs in Word and PDF. Corrections must be returned within the given timeframe. Final PDFs provided free of charge.

    Article Processing Charge (APC)

    As an Open Access journal, APCs apply only to accepted manuscripts. Waivers/discounts available for students and authors without funding.

    End Note Style

    Below is the EndNote output style structure matching Taprobanica formatting, adapted for ASIAN HERPETOLOGIST.

    Download EndNote .ens File
    Download CSL File
    Download Cheat Sheet PDF

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