Research Involving Palaeontological and Geological Material

Research that includes palaeontological specimens or geological samples must be conducted and reported with full transparency regarding the origin and handling of the material. Authors should provide clear and accurate provenance information whenever possible, including details of collection, excavation, or acquisition. We recognize that older museum collections may lack complete documentation; in such cases, authors should describe the extent and limitations of the available information. When disclosure of exact locality information could threaten the protection of sensitive sites, authors may provide generalized descriptions instead of precise coordinates.

All sampling activities must comply with relevant local, regional, and national regulations. Material must be collected, transported, and exported responsibly and legally. Manuscripts describing newly collected specimens or samples should identify the permits or authorizations obtained, specify the issuing authorities, and include supporting documentation if requested by the editors.

Specimens that serve as type material or that are illustrated, described, or otherwise central to the study should be deposited in a recognized, publicly accessible museum or institutional collection that ensures long-term availability to the research community. Authors should include detailed information on the repository, including accession or catalogue numbers when applicable, to allow the material to be reliably located and accessed.

Where feasible, authors are encouraged to deposit digital 3-D scans or other high-quality digital representations of fossil specimens in stable, accessible repositories to support reproducibility and broaden access for future research.

Authors must treat all specimens with respect and adhere to the highest standards of scientific integrity. This includes ensuring that collection, preparation, and curation practices preserve not only the specimens themselves, but associated contextual data (e.g., stratigraphic, geographic, taphonomic, and paleoenvironmental information) essential for scientific interpretation. Researchers are expected to avoid any form of scientific misconduct (such as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism) and must ensure that their analyses and reporting are honest and transparent. These commitments reflect the mandatory standards of ethical behavior outlined by EAVP. eavp.org

When working with privately-owned specimens or collections, authors bear a particular responsibility: they should ensure that the specimens were legally obtained, documented with as much context as possible, and that their deposition in a recognized public repository is either confirmed or planned. Publication should not proceed if the legal status or provenance of the material is unclear or contested.

In preparing and presenting such work, authors should ensure that their practices align with international frameworks for the responsible treatment of cultural and scientific heritage, including guidance from UNESCO and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

This policy draws in part on the ethical guidelines provided by EAVP. Authors seeking further details are encouraged to consult the full EAVP Code of Scientific & Ethical Conduct at https://eavp.org/ethics-code, as well as the UNESCO and IUCN heritage-protection frameworks.