Journal profile · Developmental Biology
Development Genes and Evolution
ISSN 0949-944X · eISSN 1432-041X · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Monthly · Founded 1894
Development Genes and Evolution: CAS Zone 4 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.5; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,390; review over 12 weeks (community reports); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Development Genes and Evolution is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 4 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation, Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research and Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior, together about 32.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Genetics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
We are pleased to announce that Development Genes and Evolution became fully open access (OA) on 1 January 2025 and moved into our Discover series as Discover Developmental Biology. As a result, all submissions are subject to an article publication charge (APC) if accepted (unless a waiver is applied) and will be published in Discover Developmental Biology. Please see our FAQs journal update for more information on APCs, funding options, and waivers. Discover Developmental Biology (formerly Development Genes and Evolution) is a fully open access, peer-reviewed journal that supports multidisciplinary research across all fields of biological development relevant to animals, plants and microorganisms. The journal aims to be a resource for researchers, policy makers and the general public for recent advances in developmental biology and its uses in research development and society. As a fully open access journal, we ensure that our research is highly discoverable and instantly available globally to everyone. The journal particularly welcomes work that aims to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially Good Health and Well-being, Life Below Water, and Life on Land. Topics Topics welcomed at Discover Developmental Biology include but are not limited to the following: Cell fate determination Developmental disorders Developmental genetics Developmental physiology Embryogenesis Epigenetics and development Evolutionary developmental biology Germ cell development Metamorphosis Microbial development Morphogenesis Neurodevelopment Organogenesis Plant development genetics Plant growth and differentiation Quorum sensing and biofilm formation Stem cell biology Content types The journal welcomes a variety of article types – please see our submission guidelines for details. The journal also publishes guest-edited Topical Collections of relevance to all aspects of developmental biology.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Developmental Biology
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Developmental Biology and Gene RegulationBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology15.5%
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology ResearchNeuroscience10.9%
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and BehaviorBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.5%
- Animal Genetics and ReproductionBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.4%
- Marine Ecology and Invasive SpeciesEnvironmental Science5.3%
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and EcologyEarth and Planetary Sciences4.6%
- Plant Reproductive BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.3%
- Marine Biology and Environmental ChemistryEngineering3.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EmbaseCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.5LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2024
- 0.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.36LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.7LetPub ·
- h-index
- 70LetPub ·
- h-index
- 127OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,462OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 6.17OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 50%LetPub ·
Volume
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 706,300Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 6,278 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 12 | 74 |
| 2023 | 13 | 13 | 45 |
| 2022 | 15 | 11 | 90 |
| 2021 | 12 | 6 | 74 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
Too few articlesOnly 2 articles from the last 24 months carry both submission and acceptance dates, too few for a median
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- over 12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 10 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 2,390 / EUR 1,990 / GBP 1,690 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers3, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted6
- original paperDevelopment Genes and Evolution accepts peer-reviewed Original Papers, Short Communications, and Review or Perspective articles. As variations on the Short Comm…Length not stated
- perspectiveDevelopment Genes and Evolution accepts peer-reviewed Original Papers, Short Communications, and Review or Perspective articles. As variations on the Short Comm…Length not stated
- reviewDevelopment Genes and Evolution accepts peer-reviewed Original Papers, Short Communications, and Review or Perspective articles. As variations on the Short Comm…Length not stated
- review articleDevelopment Genes and Evolution accepts peer-reviewed Original Papers, Short Communications, and Review or Perspective articles. As variations on the Short Comm…Length not stated
- short communicationDevelopment Genes and Evolution accepts peer-reviewed Original Papers, Short Communications, and Review or Perspective articles. As variations on the Short Comm…Length not stated
- technical noteDevelopment Genes and Evolution accepts peer-reviewed Original Papers, Short Communications, and Review or Perspective articles. As variations on the Short Comm…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship Policy
Authorship should incorporate and should be restricted to those who have contributed substantially to the work in one or more of the following categories: • Conceived of or designed study • Performed research • Analyzed data • Contributed new methods or models • Wrote the paper Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Discover Developmental Biology, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top Did you find what you were looking for? Share feedback.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1894
- ISSN
- 0949-944X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1432-041X
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Development Genes and Evolution
What CAS zone is Development Genes and Evolution in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Development Genes and Evolution is in Zone 4 of Biology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Cell Biology / Developmental Biology / Evolutionary Biology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Development Genes and Evolution?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.5; CiteScore 2.5, h-index 127.
How long does peer review take at Development Genes and Evolution?
Authors report an average review time of over 12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Development Genes and Evolution?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Which databases index Development Genes and Evolution?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Development Genes and Evolution is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Embase, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Development Genes and Evolution open access, and what is the APC?
Development Genes and Evolution is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,390.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .