TeX / LaTeX users 
... since our system cannot convert .tex files, we ask that you upload a PDF that you have generated yourself as the manuscript. Then upload the source tex files as "Latex source files" in the Primary file category.
Data and Materials
  • All authors are responsible for making materials, code, raw data and associated protocols relevant to the submission available without delay.
  • Please ensure that all relevant datasets, code, images and information are available in one of the following possible ways and provide a link to the appropriate location: uploaded as Supplemental Files, deposited in a public repository, or hosted in a publicly accessible database. There are very few circumstances in which we can accept a manuscript without raw data (see point 4 in 'Preparing your submission').
Supplemental Information (SI)       
... SI files are published as links alongside the article, which point to downloadable files. These files do not form an integral part of the manuscript and may include supplemental information or important data which are too large for inclusion in the main manuscript. As they are provided as ‘original’ files, readers will need to be able to open them using their own resources. Therefore to ensure widest compatibility you should utilize common file types and avoid proprietary formats.
  • All files should be named as a “Supplemental [Item] S[number]”. Please include a brief descriptive title and legend in the metadata when uploading the file.
  • In total, all Supplemental Files should not exceed 50 MB (if more space is needed, please contact us). Individual files should not exceed 30 MB.
  • Note that our system allows multiple files to be uploaded at once.
  • If it's necessary to cite Supplemental Information files in the text, use the following style: Fig. S1, Table S1, Data S1, Video S1, Article S1, Audio S1.
  • If the Supplemental Files are only intended for review purposes and cannot be published, please upload the files as review-only info from the drop down menu in the Supplemental Files section.

For maximum compatibility, we suggest that you submit Supplemental Information using the following formats:
 Supplemental FiguresSubmit as JPG (use maximum quality settings), EPS (for vector images), or PNG (for lossless images).
 Supplemental TablesSubmit as PDF, DOC, Excel, RTF or TeX / LaTeX files.
 Supplemental ArticlesSubmit as PDF.
 Supplemental VideosSubmit as AVI, MOV, and MP4 files. For widest compatibility, we suggest authors provide video files as 128 kbit/s AAC audio and 480p H.264 video in an MPEG-4 (mp4) format. Regardless of format submitted, authors should double check that their videos open and play in recent versions of both QuickTime and Windows Media Player.
 Supplemental AudioSubmit as WAV or MP3 files. Please include a legend. Ensure that the files open and play in common audio players such as iTunes or Windows Media Player.
 Large Supplemental Data setsSubmit in a compressed format (e.g. zip or tar.gz).

Style Considerations

Units, Symbols, Mathematics, Abbreviations
  • Where possible and appropriate, use the International System of Units. 
  • Use discipline specific (non-SI) units only where they are widely adopted within the field.
  • Symbols should be used in lieu of abbreviations for mathematical expressions & defined at first use.
  • Spell out the numbers 1-9 unless used with units.
Manuscript Text
  • Submissions which will result in a final typeset manuscript greater than 45 pages may incur an additional service charge to cover production costs. If you have a manuscript of this extent then please email editor@peerj.com to discuss.
  • Articles must be written in clear, unambiguous English for an international audience.
  • The established norms of academic writing within your field should be followed.
  • Either English or American spelling is acceptable provided it is consistently used throughout.
  • Nomenclature: Biological & medical nomenclature should adhere to recognized guidelines set forth by international committee regulations or authoritative bodies for specific fields, as applicable.
Figures
  • Image Manipulation: Figures should only be (minimally) processed or manipulated in order to add labels, arrows, or to change contrast or brightness if applied to the entire image as well as the controls. They should not be adjusted in any way that could lead to misinterpretation of the information in the original image. Unprocessed figure files and data must be retained for editorial review upon request. The descriptions of changes, hardware and software used to take images and make adjustments must also be provided. Inappropriate figure manipulation is grounds for article retraction and/or reporting to institutional oversight boards.
  • "Figure" refers to all images such as graphs, charts, line drawings and photographs. When citing figures in the text, the abbreviation "Fig." should be used. If the citation is the beginning of the sentence, use the full word "Figure" instead.
  • All figures must be cited in the main text.
  • Ideally legends should not be included in your image files. However legends in images are accepted for initial review, when the legend is placed below the image. For revisions, legends in images are not accepted. Single file submissions should include legends in the manuscript text alongside the figure. Multi-file submissions require legends to be entered manually using the 'Details needed’ button, and should not be included in the manuscript text.
  • Figure legends should be self contained and clearly describe the figure and its contents.
  • The graphical area of a figure should include information about scales, abbreviations, limits, etc.
  • When submitting photographs as figures please indicate the identity of the photographer. If the photographer is not one of the co-authors, please upload a supplemental document with permission from the photographer allowing you to publish the image under a CC BY license.
  • If you use a map as a figure please cite the source of the map. Wherever possible, use map services which allow unrestricted re-use. If you must use Google Earth or Google Maps then in order to accurately attribute a map from Google, we need to know the third-party data providers cited with the map: find out how.
  • When creating figures and images consider the accessibility of your chosen color schemes to those with non-normal color vision. Wherever possible avoid using color alone to distinguish between parts of images. When color is used, we suggest that you consult the following resources to ensure maximum accessibility: J*FLYMapbox and ColorBrewer.
Linnean Binomials
  • Authors are encouraged to provide taxonomic authors of Linnean binomials when first used in the text, particularly for taxa that are the focus of the paper in question. Where several taxa are named, citation of taxonomic authors in Tables is regarded as an adequate substitute for citation in the body of the text. Authors of zoological names should consist of initials plus full surnames, whereas authors of botanical names should be abbreviated following Brummitt & Powell's (1992) 'Authors of plant names'. In either case, binomials carrying more than three authors should be abbreviated to 'et al.' subsequent to the name of the third author.