''Ichthyology & Herpetology'' (formerly ''Copeia'') is a quarterly

peer-reviewed Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...

scientific journal In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication designed to further the progress of science by disseminating new research findings to the scientific community. These journals serve as a platform for researchers, schola ...

covering research in ichthyology and

herpetology Herpetology (from Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians (Gymnophiona)) and reptiles (in ...

that was originally named after

Edward Drinker Cope Edward Drinker Cope (July 28, 1840 – April 12, 1897) was an American zoologist, paleontology, paleontologist, comparative anatomy, comparative anatomist, herpetology, herpetologist, and ichthyology, ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker fam ...

, a prominent American researcher in these fields. It is the official journal of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. According to the ''

Journal Citation Reports ''Journal Citation Reports'' (''JCR'') is an annual publication by Clarivate. It has been integrated with the Web of Science and is accessed from the Web of Science Core Collection. It provides information about academic journals in the natur ...

'', ''Copeia'' has a 2021

impact factor The impact factor (IF) or journal impact factor (JIF) of an academic journal is a type of journal ranking. Journals with higher impact factor values are considered more prestigious or important within their field. The Impact Factor of a journa ...

of 1.857, ranking it 65th out of 176 journals in the category "Zoology".

History

On December 27, 1913,

John Treadwell Nichols John Treadwell Nichols (June 11, 1883 – November 10, 1958) was an American ichthyologist and Ornithology, ornithologist. Life and career Nichols was born in Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Mary Blake (Slocum) and John White T ...

published the first issue of ''Copeia''. This issue consisted of a single piece of paper folded to form four pages of information with five articles. The cover of the pamphlet bore the inscription: "Published by the contributors to advance the science of coldblooded vertebrates." In 2020, the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists voted to rename the journal, ''Ichthyology & Herpetology''.

Name change

The journal was named after

, a renowned 19th century herpetologist, naturalist, and paleontologist, who identified thousands of vertebrate species. In 2020, members of the Society raised the issue that the name of the journal be changed because Cope, a staunch Lamarckian, flaunted his views on race and women, which were undeniably offensive even during his Civil War-era lifetime: Cope's younger friend and colleague Charles R. Knight is on record for describing Cope as having "the filthiest mouth" among all his acquaintances. The editor of the journal, W. Leo Smith, formally recommended the change of the journal's name on 29 June 2020 to the Society's Board of Governors. The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists' Executive Committee and Board of Governors voted to change the name of the journal on 2 July 2020. The journal was renamed ''Ichthyology & Herpetology'' in early 2021. On 19 March 2021, the first three articles of ''Ichthyology & Herpetology'' were published online. These three articles covered the history, context, and reasons for the name change, including an introduction from the journal's editor, an interview with the individuals voicing concerns about the name of the journal, and an essay (''The Exact and Very Strange Truth'') by the author, John Nichols, who is a grandson of the journal's founder,

References

External links

* * * * Ichthyology journals Herpetology journals Publications established in 1913 Quarterly journals English-language journals 1913 establishments in the United States {{DEFAULTSORT:Ichthyology and Herpetology