Editorial Policies
BULLETIN INFORMATION
Catesbeiana is published twice a year by the Virginia Herpetological Society. Membership is open to all individuals interested in the study of amphibians and reptiles and includes a subscription to Catesbeiana, two newsletters,and admission to all meetings. Annual dues for regular membership are $15.00 (see application form on last page for other membership categories). Payments received after September 1st of any given year will apply to membership for the following calendar year.HERPETOLOGICAL ARTWORK
Herpetological artwork is welcomed for publication in Catesbeiana. If the artwork has been published elsewhere, we will need to obtain copyright before it can be used in an issue. We need drawings and encourage members to send us anything appropriate, especially their own work.EDITORIAL POLICY
The principal function of Catesbeiana is to publish observations and original research aboutVirginia herpetology. Rarely will articles be reprinted in Catesbeiana after they have been published elsewhere. All correspondence relative to the suitability of manuscripts or other editorial matters should be directed to: Dr. Paul Sattler, Editor, Catesbeiana.Major Papers
Manuscripts submitted for publication should be typewritten (double-spaced) on good quality 8½ by 11 inch paper, with adequate margins. Consult the style of articles in this issue for additional information, including the appropriate format for literature citations. The metric system should be used for reporting all types of measurement data. Computer diskettes (Word or WordPerfect format) are desired for longer papers. Submissions concerning the herpetofauna of selected areas, such as a park, city or county, should be prepared in article rather than field note format. Articles will be refereed by the editor and one or more qualifiedreviewers. All changes must be approved by the author before publication; therefore, manuscripts must be received by the editor before March 1st and September 1st to be considered for publication in the spring and fall issue, respectively, of Catesbeiana. Reprints; of articles are not available, but authors may reprint their own articles to meet professional needs.
Field Notes
The field notes section of Catesbeiana provides a means for publishing natural history information on Virginia’s amphibians and reptiles that does not lend itself to full-length articles. Observations on geographic distribution, ecology, reproduction, phenology, behavior, and other topics are welcomed. Field Notes will usually concern a single species. The format of the reports is: scientific name (followed by common name in parentheses), state abbreviation (VA), county and location, date(s) of observation, observer(s), data, and observations. The name(s) and address(es) of the author(s) should appear one line below the report. Consult the editor if your information does not readily fit this format. All field notes must include a brief statement explaining the significance of the record (e.g., new county record) or observation (e.g., unusual or rarely observed behavior, extremely early or late seasonal record, abnormal coloration, etc.). Submissions that fail to include this information are subject to rejection. Relevant literature should be cited in the body of the text (see Field Notes in this issue for proper format). All submissions will be reviewed by the editor (and one other person if deemed necessary) and revised as needed pending consultation with the author(s).
If the field note contains information on a new county (or state) record, verification is required in the form of a voucher specimen deposited in a permanent museum (e.g., Virginia Museum of Natural History) or a photograph (print, slide, or digital image) or recording (cassette tape or digital recording of anuran calls) deposited in the archives of the Virginia Herpetological Society. Photographs and recordings should be sent to the editor for verification and archiving purposes; the identity of voucher specimens must be confirmed by a museum curator or other qualified person. Include the specimen number if it has been catalogued. Prospective authors of distribution reports should consult Mitchell and Reay (1999. Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Virginia), Mitchell (1994. The Reptiles of Virginia), Tobey (1985. Virginia’s Amphibians and Reptiles: A Distributional Survey) and other recent literature to determine if they may have a new county record. New distribution records from large cities that formerly constituted counties (Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach) are acceptable, but records from smaller cities located within the boundaries of an adjoining county will only be published if the species has not been recorded from that county. Species identification for observational records (e.g., behavior) should be verified by a second person whenever possible.
PHOTOGRAPHS
High contrast photographs (prints, slides, or digital images) of amphibians and reptiles will be considered for publication if they are of good quality and are relevant to an accompanying article or field note. Prints should be on glossy paper and no larger than 5 x 7 inches. Published photographs will be deposited in the archives of the Virginia Herpetological Society.