Journal profile · Zoology
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
ISSN 0145-305X · eISSN 1879-0089 · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 1977
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY: CAS Zone 3 · Agricultural & Forestry Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.43; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,340; median 91 days to acceptance (110 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: hard; 209 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 3 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Aquaculture disease management and microbiota, Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms and Immune Response and Inflammation, together about 44.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Immunology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Official Journal of the International Society of Developmental and Comparative Immunology Developmental and Comparative Immunology (DCI) is an international journal that publishes articles describing original research in all areas of immunology, including comparative aspects of immunity and the evolution and development of the immune system of vertebrates and invertebrates. All levels of immunological investigations are appropriate: organismal, biochemical, cellular, and molecular. The Co-Editors-in-Chief particularly encourage submission of manuscripts that address mechanistic and functional aspects of immunity.Developmental and Comparative Immunology is the companion title to the open access journal Comparative Immunology Reports
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Zoology
Editor-in-chief Brian DixonPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 24 in mainland China (about 40%); most named Mainland China 24, United States 10, Canada 7, Taiwan, China 2, United Kingdom 2 (60 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiotaImmunology and Microbiology20.9%
- Invertebrate Immune Response MechanismsImmunology and Microbiology16.6%
- Immune Response and InflammationImmunology and Microbiology7.3%
- Immune Cell Function and InteractionImmunology and Microbiology5.8%
- T-cell and B-cell ImmunologyImmunology and Microbiology5.7%
- interferon and immune responsesImmunology and Microbiology4.7%
- Antimicrobial Peptides and ActivitiesImmunology and Microbiology4.7%
- Aquaculture Nutrition and GrowthAgricultural and Biological Sciences3.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Fisheries | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Veterinary Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Zoology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Fisheries | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Veterinary Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Zoology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Fisheries | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Veterinary Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Zoology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
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
- 2.43LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.55LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.69LetPub ·
- h-index
- 98LetPub ·
- h-index
- 163OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,199OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.95OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 13.37%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 195LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 7,948 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 183 | 36 | 36 |
| 2025 | 209 | 35 | 409 |
| 2024 | 161 | 54 | 634 |
| 2023 | 314 | 57 | 1,538 |
| 2022 | 207 | 37 | 2,063 |
| 2021 | 277 | 44 | 3,852 |
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 PubMed · to
91 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 69 days – 137 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (110 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 92 days
- Sample
- 110 articles with submission and acceptance dates (445 in the window); the latest was accepted on
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)
- 3–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- HardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 33 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 101 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 1 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single 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 3,340 / EUR 3,120 / GBP 2,670 / JPY 414,260 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,500 | — | — |
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)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted14
- announcementsAnnouncements, of meeting, conferences or other events.Length not stated
- book reviewFull-length research articles Short Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research. Short Communications will occ…Length not stated
- editorialFull-length research articles Short Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research. Short Communications will occ…Length not stated
- editorialsEditorials, at the discretion of the Editors.Length not stated
- full-length research articlesFull-length research articlesLength not stated
- invited full-length review articlesInvited full-length Review articles.Length not stated
- letterFull-length research articles Short Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research. Short Communications will occ…Length not stated
- letters to the editorFull-length research articles Short Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research. Short Communications will occ…Length not stated
- mini-review articlesMini-review articles, which will typically be invited by the Editors but may be submitted directly; they should be no more than 4-6 pp long.Length not stated
- research articleFull-length research articles Short Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research. Short Communications will occ…Length not stated
- review articleFull-length research articles Short Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research. Short Communications will occ…Length not stated
- short book reviewsShort Book ReviewsLength not stated
- short communicationFull-length research articles Short Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research. Short Communications will occ…Length not stated
- short communicationsShort Communications, which should be short, preliminary reports of timely and significant research.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics in publishing Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
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
- Elsevier Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1977
- ISSN
- 0145-305X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1879-0089
- Society / sponsor
- International Society of Developmental and Comparative Immunology Developmental and Comparative Immunology
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
What CAS zone is DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY is in Zone 3 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Fisheries / Veterinary Sciences / Zoology / Immunology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.43; CiteScore 4.6, h-index 163.
How long does peer review take at DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY?
Based on the dates recorded on 110 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 91 days (interquartile range 69–137 days); authors report an average review time of 3–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Hard”. 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 DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Author–date; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: 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.
Where are the editorial board members of DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY based?
Of the 60 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 24 (about 40%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (24), United States (10) and Canada (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY open access, and what is the APC?
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,340.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; 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: .