Journal profile · Microbiology
European Journal of Protistology
ISSN 0932-4739 · eISSN 1618-0429 · Urban und Fischer Verlag GmbH und Co. KG · GERMANY · Quarterly · Founded 1987
European Journal of Protistology: CAS Zone 3 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.89; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,270; median 95 days to acceptance (82 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 41 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
European Journal of Protistology is published by Urban und Fischer Verlag GmbH und Co. KG and is in Zone 3 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Protist diversity and phylogeny, Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology and Marine and coastal ecosystems, together about 55.8% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The European Journal of Protistology provides a forum for articles that deal with protists, unicellular eukaryotic organisms encountered free-living in various habitats or as symbionts. The European Journal of Protistology covers topics such as: • the structure, morphology and systematics of protists • the development, phylogeny and evolution of protists • ecology of protists • molecular biology of protists • physiology of protistsBeside publishing original articles the journal accepts also review papers. Papers describing just one/few insufficiently known taxa and based on single molecular markers will receive low priority or will be considered only in exceptional cases. The journal aspires to publish papers based on a variety of methods and multiple molecular markers.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Microbiology
Editor-in-chief Peter VďačnýPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 6 in mainland China (about 17%); most named Mainland China 6, France 5, Brazil 5, United Kingdom 2, Japan 2 (35 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Protist diversity and phylogenyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology29.7%
- Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologyEnvironmental Science19.1%
- Marine and coastal ecosystemsEarth and Planetary Sciences7%
- Methane Hydrates and Related PhenomenaEnvironmental Science5.4%
- Marine Biology and Ecology ResearchEarth and Planetary Sciences3.7%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance3.5%
- Parasitic Infections and DiagnosticsImmunology and Microbiology2.9%
- Genomics and Phylogenetic StudiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 3 |
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
- 1.89LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 1.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.47LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.74LetPub ·
- h-index
- 44LetPub ·
- h-index
- 70OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,076OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.63OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 15.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 25.17%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 38LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,384 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 41 | 14 | 11 |
| 2025 | 41 | 13 | 83 |
| 2024 | 57 | 27 | 272 |
| 2023 | 58 | 13 | 284 |
| 2022 | 60 | 16 | 428 |
| 2021 | 69 | 12 | 628 |
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
95 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 67 days – 143 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 2 days (82 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 96 days
- Sample
- 82 articles with submission and acceptance dates (75 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)
- over 12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 1 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 33 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 101 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 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
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,270 / EUR 3,060 / GBP 2,620 / JPY 405,580 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,240 | — | — |
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 papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Vancouver
- Highlights
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, 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
Abstract max 250 words Model summary
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 ·- Data availability
Data statement encouraged Model summary
To foster transparency, you are encouraged to state the availability of any data at submission.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics policy 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
Open access options Model summary
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
- Urban und Fischer Verlag GmbH und Co. KG
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 1987
- ISSN
- 0932-4739
- Electronic ISSN
- 1618-0429
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about European Journal of Protistology
What CAS zone is European Journal of Protistology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, European Journal of Protistology is in Zone 3 of Biology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Microbiology. 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 European Journal of Protistology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.89; CiteScore 3.6, h-index 70.
How long does peer review take at European Journal of Protistology?
Based on the dates recorded on 82 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 95 days (interquartile range 67–143 days); 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 European Journal of Protistology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Vancouver; Highlights: Optional; 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 European Journal of Protistology based?
Of the 35 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 6 (about 17%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (6), France (5) and Brazil (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index European Journal of Protistology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, European Journal of Protistology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is European Journal of Protistology open access, and what is the APC?
European Journal of Protistology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,270.
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: .