Ethics statement related to fossil specimens
Information on palaeontological specimens and samples should be included within the research methods. Included in this ethics statement should be clear information on the locality (provenance) of the material to ensure full transparency of the research. Associated with this, we require that samples be collected and exported following the relevant permits and local laws, and have been done so in a responsible manner. Any submission that presents new material from protected sites should include information within the text regarding the requisite permission obtained, and ideally copies of the associated permits during submission for review by the editorial team. Any published or type palaeontological specimens should be deposited and housed within a recognised museum or collection to permit free access by other researchers. This institution must be mentioned within the text.
Manuscripts will be rejected without review if authors are unable to demonstrate compliance with these requirements.
