It is with both humility and great anticipation that I accept the invitation to serve as the new Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Animal Diversity (JAD) for a two-year term, with the possibility of renewal.
I am deeply grateful to all those who have entrusted me with this prestigious role, especially to Professor Ali Gholamifard, the journal's founder and outgoing Editor-in-Chief, whose continued leadership as the acting Director of JAD remains crucial to its success.
Taking on this responsibility is both a significant challenge and a stimulating opportunity, one that I believe we can meet and overcome together, ultimately achieving our important goals.
The primary objective of JAD is to make a substantial leap in quality, with the long-term goal of being indexed with an Impact Factor and thus formally integrated into the international scientific community of peer-reviewed journals.
JAD has a great responsibility ahead, but it is well-positioned to become a leading reference point not only for Asia but for the global scientific community. Among its many advantages, JAD offers completely free submission and publication processes, with all manuscripts subject to rigorous review by at least two qualified referees.
Additionally, the acceptance and publication times are remarkably short. Covering the full spectrum of animal diversity—from microorganisms to mammals—JAD emphasizes the richness and complexity of animal variability in the broadest sense.
We welcome research in a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to faunistic studies, zoogeography, ecology, behavior, taxonomy, phylogeny, systematics, wildlife management, conservation, human-wildlife interactions, marine biology, entomology, and more.
In line with our ambition to raise the journal’s standards, it is inevitable that the nature of the contributions we accept will evolve.
As part of this ongoing transformation, we have already seen an increase in the rate of manuscript rejection, reflecting the higher scientific quality we aim to uphold. However, these are natural adjustments, and we expect them to stabilize in line with the niche JAD aspires to occupy.
We invite all researchers to submit new and original manuscripts of high scientific quality—whether original articles, short notes, reviews, meta-analyses, or commentaries.
We also welcome invited submissions from editorial staff. As always, all manuscripts will undergo rigorous peer review before publication. I am confident that JAD will attract the high-quality manuscripts needed to fuel its growth, ensuring its gradual but inexorable rise as a leading journal in the field.
Thank you once again for your support, and as the Latins said, "AD MAIORA SEMPER."
Francesco Maria Angelici
Rome, February 20th, 2026
