JES supports open, responsible data sharing for evolutionary research. Authors should deposit data, alignments, and code in trusted repositories when possible, with clear access instructions.

We recognize that some datasets require controlled access due to sensitive locations, endangered species protections, or collection permits. Authors should document restrictions and access pathways.

• General data repositories such as Zenodo, Figshare, or Dryad
• Genomic sequence repositories such as GenBank, ENA, or DDBJ
• Phylogenetic tree archives such as TreeBASE
• Morphological data repositories such as Morphobank
• Paleobiology databases for fossil occurrence records
• Code repositories such as GitHub or GitLab with release tags

Sensitive locality data or protected species records should be managed with care. When full sharing is not possible, provide deidentified summaries and clear instructions for requesting access.

Authors should document data governance, including data custodians, access review procedures, and permit limits.

• Include repository links or accession numbers in the manuscript
• State licensing terms for data and code when applicable
• Provide documentation for custom scripts or pipelines
• Describe any access restrictions and approval requirements

• Dataset metadata complete and consistent
• Repository accession numbers included
• Code and pipelines documented
• Ethics approvals and permits referenced
• Access restrictions clearly stated

• Provide repository DOIs or accession numbers for deposited datasets.
• Describe metadata standards used to enable reuse and interoperability.
• Clarify whether genomic datasets include sequencing protocols and read files.
• Report access controls for sensitive location or endangered species data.
• Include code repository links for analysis scripts or statistical models.
• List any embargo periods required by funders or collaborators.
• Explain data sharing exceptions and provide justification when data are restricted.
• Document governance for specimen collections or institutional repositories.
• Provide data dictionaries or variable definitions for key outcomes.
• Describe data versioning and update procedures for curated datasets.
• State how sequence data were validated and cleaned.
• Provide linkage between datasets and tables used in the manuscript.
• Describe data retention timelines and long term preservation plans.
• Confirm whether data use agreements are required for access.
• Document repository metadata such as schema or variable labels.
• Describe secure storage procedures for sensitive field data.
• State whether derived datasets are available for secondary analysis.
• Report validation rules applied to alignments or trait matrices.
• Clarify how duplicate records or specimen records were handled.
• Describe data encryption and secure transfer procedures.
• Provide a governance contact for data access requests.
• Specify file naming conventions and version control practices.

JES is committed to rigorous, transparent publishing in evolutionary science. We emphasize reproducible phylogenetic and population genetic analyses, clear reporting of model assumptions, and ethical compliance in field and laboratory research.

The editorial office supports authors, editors, and reviewers with clear guidance and responsive communication. For questions about scope or workflow, contact [email protected].

We encourage open data, code sharing, and careful documentation of specimens and sequences to support replication and long-term reuse across the evolutionary biology community.