Journal profile · Anatomy & Morphology
Journal of Morphology
ISSN 0362-2525 · eISSN 1097-4687 · John Wiley and Sons Inc. · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 1887
Journal of Morphology: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.38; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,220; median 92 days to acceptance (90 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 75%; 114 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Morphology is published by John Wiley and Sons Inc. and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Amphibian and Reptile Biology, Ichthyology and Marine Biology and Evolution and Paleontology Studies, together about 22.9% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Morphology welcomes articles of original research in cytology, protozoology, embryology, and general morphology. Articles generally should not exceed 35 printed pages. Preliminary notices or articles of a purely descriptive morphological or taxonomic nature are not included. No paper which has already been published will be accepted, nor will simultaneous publications elsewhere be allowed. The Journal of Morphology publishes research in functional, comparative, evolutionary and developmental morphology from vertebrates and invertebrates. Human and veterinary anatomy or paleontology are considered when an explicit connection to neontological animal morphology is presented, and the paper contains relevant information for the community of animal morphologists. Based on our long tradition, we continue to seek publishing the best papers in animal morphology. How to cite: To make sure that references to this journal are correctly recorded and resolved (for example in CrossRef or ISI Web of Science), please use the following abbreviated title in any citations: "J Morphol." Punctuation may vary according to the style of the citing journal.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Anatomy & Morphology
Editor-in-chief Thomas StachPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 10, Germany 5, Australia 3, France 2, South Africa 2 (28 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Amphibian and Reptile BiologyEnvironmental Science9.2%
- Ichthyology and Marine BiologyEnvironmental Science7.4%
- Evolution and Paleontology StudiesEarth and Planetary Sciences6.3%
- Plant Taxonomy and PhylogeneticsAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.1%
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology ResearchNeuroscience5.8%
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and BehaviorBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.3%
- Fish biology, ecology, and behaviorEnvironmental Science5.2%
- Paleontology and Evolutionary BiologyEarth and Planetary Sciences5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Anatomy & Morphology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Anatomy & Morphology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Anatomy & Morphology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of ScienceMEDLINEPubMedCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
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
- 1.38LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 2.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.47LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.82LetPub ·
- h-index
- 65LetPub ·
- h-index
- 152OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 5,720OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.26OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 46.25%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 86LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher) 2025
- 87Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 275,104Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 10,229 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 76 | 47 | 3 |
| 2025 | 114 | 55 | 117 |
| 2024 | 126 | 73 | 277 |
| 2023 | 133 | 84 | 503 |
| 2022 | 134 | 58 | 724 |
| 2021 | 139 | 50 | 955 |
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
92 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 58 days – 141 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 12 days (90 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 111 days
- Sample
- 90 articles with submission and acceptance dates (192 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)
- about 1 monthLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 75%LetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher) 2025
- 33%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision 2025
- 20 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance 2025
- 91 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication 2025
- 12 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single-anonymous peer reviewPublisher website · model-extracted
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 4,220 / EUR 3,570 / GBP 2,810 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Submission fee
- No submission fee
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
- ≤ 300 words
- Keywords
- 3–5
- Reference style
- APA
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted7
- comprehensive reviewsComprehensive Reviews Critical reviews of the literature, including systematic reviews and meta-analysesLength not stated
- editorialArticle Type Description Abstract / Structure Other Requirements Original Papers Reports of new research findings or conceptual analyses that make a significant…Length not stated
- meta-analysisArticle Type Description Abstract / Structure Other Requirements Original Papers Reports of new research findings or conceptual analyses that make a significant…Length not stated
- original paperArticle Type Description Abstract / Structure Other Requirements Original Papers Reports of new research findings or conceptual analyses that make a significant…Length not stated
- original papersOriginal Papers Reports of new research findings or conceptual analyses that make a significant contribution to knowledgeLength not stated
- reviewArticle Type Description Abstract / Structure Other Requirements Original Papers Reports of new research findings or conceptual analyses that make a significant…Length not stated
- systematic reviewArticle Type Description Abstract / Structure Other Requirements Original Papers Reports of new research findings or conceptual analyses that make a significant…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAuthorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints, Self-archiving
- Authorship Authorship
There is no universal definition of authorship, and practices vary by discipline and communities especially when individuals collaborate across subject areas. All listed authors should have contributed to the manuscript substantially and have agreed to the final submitted version. Journal of Morphology follows authorship standards as defined by ICMJE. Please review editorial standards for a descri…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Conflict of Interest Statement
Authors will be asked to provide a conflict of interest statement during the submission process. For details on what to include in this section, see the section ‘Conflict of Interest’ in the Guidelines on Publishing and Research Ethics in Journal Articles section below. Submitting authors should ensure they liaise with all co-authors to confirm agreement with the final statement.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data Sharing and Data Availability
Data sharing mandated; data availability statement required. Model summary
This journal mandates data sharing. It is required, as a condition for publication, that the data supporting the results in the paper be archived in an appropriate public repository. Authors are required to provide a data availability statement, including a link to the repository they have used, and to cite the data they have shared. Review Wiley’s Data Sharing policy where you will be able to see…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Publication Ethics
COPE member. Model summary
This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Note this journal uses iThenticate’s CrossCheck software to detect instances of overlapping and similar text in submitted manuscripts. Read Wiley's Top 10 Publishing Ethics Tips for Authors here. Wiley’s Publication Ethics Guidelines can be found here.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Reproduction of Copyright Material
If excerpts from copyrighted works owned by third parties are included, credit must be shown in the contribution. It is your responsibility to also obtain written permission for reproduction from the copyright owners. For more detailed information visit Wiley’s Copyright Terms & Conditions FAQand for copyrighted material from any of the Wiley publications go to https://www.wiley.com/en-us/permissi…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open Access
Journal of Morphology is a subscription journal that offers Open Access. You’ll have the option to choose to make your article Open Access after acceptance, which will be subject to an article publication charge (APC), which you can find here. You can read more about APCs and whether you may be eligible for waivers or discounts, through your institution, funder, or a country waiver. Wiley has sign…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review 2. Submission and Peer Review Process
Authors should kindly note that submission implies that the content has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere except as a brief abstract in the proceedings of a scientific meeting or symposium. New submissions should be made via the Research Exchange submission portal https://authors.wiley.com/journal/JMOR. Should your manuscript proceed to the revision stage, you will be direc…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints
Preprints considered; submitted version may be posted to preprint server. Model summary
The Journal of Morphology will consider for review articles previously available as preprints. You may also post the submitted version of a manuscript to a preprint server at any time.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Self-archiving Self-Archiving Definitions and Policies
Note that the journal’s standard copyright agreement allows for self-archiving of different versions of the article under specific conditions. Please click here for more detailed information about self-archiving definitions and policies.
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
- John Wiley and Sons Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1887
- ISSN
- 0362-2525
- Electronic ISSN
- 1097-4687
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 287, Issue 9 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Morphology
What CAS zone is Journal of Morphology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Morphology is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Anatomy & Morphology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Morphology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.38; CiteScore 2.7, h-index 152.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Morphology?
Based on the dates recorded on 90 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 92 days (interquartile range 58–141 days); authors report an average review time of about 1 month; the community-reported acceptance is “about 75%”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 33% (2025). 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 Journal of Morphology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 300 words; Keywords: 3–5; Reference style: APA; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Required; Cover letter: Required. 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 Journal of Morphology based?
Of the 28 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (10), Germany (5) and Australia (3). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Morphology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Morphology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Morphology open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Morphology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,220.
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: .