INTRODUCTION
The introduction should be a motivation for the article. It should outline the problem and state the object of the research. Reference to previous work is admissible only if it relates directly to the present research. An extensive literature review is generally inappropriate.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
These should be described in sufficient detail to allow repetition of the work. Details of any statistical analyses employed must be included. A literature citation is adequate for methods fully described elsewhere.
RESULTS/OBSERVATIONS
The principal results should be given in the text, with supporting evidence in tables (Table/s) or figures (Fig.). Data given in a table must not be repeated in a figure of vice versa. Tables and figures must be numbered in the order in which they are cited in the text. Use arabic numerals for figures.
DISCUSSIONS
The results obtained must be interpreted in relation to existing knowledge. It is sometimes desirable to combine the results and discussion.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT/S (optional)
Acknowledgement(s) should be concise, e.g. "I thank Mr S.W. Smith for ¡".
REFERENCES
These must always be checked meticulously to ensure that all references mentioned in the text are listed at the end of the paper, and that all references in this list are quoted in the text. Make sure that the spelling of names and the dates in the text tally with those in the reference list.
Figures
All illustrations are referred to as figures (abbreviated as "Fig."). They should be arranged to fit across one or both columns of the printed portion of an A4 page. The measurements of a single column are 8 cm (width) and 23 cm depth), while those of a full page are 16,5 cm (width) and 23 cm (depth). Several figures can be put together to form a composite plate in which each individual illustration is numbered; in such cases the plate itself is not numbered. Alternatively, if a plate is made up of a closely related series of small figures, the plate can be numbered and the individual illustrations in if designated A/a, B/b C/c, etc.
Captions for the figures must be typed separately from the text and should contain enough information to enable the reader to understand the figures without reference to the text. Note that "FIG." is typed in capitals in the captions.
Reference to figures in the text should be as follows: Fig. 12; Fig. 2 and 3; Fig. 1A, B and C; (Fig. 6). Their approximate positions in the text should be indicated thus:
Remember that duplication in the text of information given in tables and figures must be avoided.
Black-and-white photographs
Provide all these photographs as glossy prints, preferably with relatively high contrasts. The individual prints making up a composite plate should be of equal contrast, as a combination of light and dark prints will not reproduce well. Each photograph or plate must be labelled on the back with the author's name and the figure number. Insert the word "top" on the upper margin. Label with care so that the photograph is not dented.
Colour photographs
Reproduction of colour photographs is expensive, therefore they will not be accepted for publication in the Journal unless they are essential for illustrating the particular points shown and are of the highest possible quality. Colour prints must not be mounted. Figures in colour will be accepted only when accompanied by a signed agreement form the author to cover the full cost of publication.
Graphs, histograms and black-and-white drawings
Drawings must be drafted neatly onto a clear white surface. The original figure or a good photomechanical transfer (for printing purposes) plus one photostat (for the editor) must be included. Photostats are not acceptable for processing for printing.
When labelling the figures, please allow for any reduction/cropping that may be necessary when they are printed. Either draft labels on computer software or insert them with stencils or dry transfer letters. Alternatively, indicate the lettering on a photostat copy of the figure and forward this with the original figure to the graphic artists for final preparation.
Use of italics
Words to be italicized must preferably be typed in italics. If this is not possible, then underline the necessary words on the manuscript, but NOT on the computer-disc copy. Italics are used for:
¡ì The names of genera, subgenera, species and subspecies of animals, plants and bacteria in titles, main headings, first-level sub-headings and the text, but not in second-level subheadings.
¡ì Generic names of viruses.
¡ì The titles of books and journals in the reference list. (Note that the title of an unpublished work is not italicized.)
¡ì Unacclimatized foreign words and phrases (e.g. in situ; in vitro; per os; vide supra, virus fixe; ad libitum).
The following are not italicized:
¡ì The names of phyla, classes, orders and families.
¡ì When italicized words (e.g. generic, specific and subspecific names of animals, plants and bacteria and generic names of viruses) are used in second-level subheadings, then they must be typed in the regular font.
¡ì Foreign words and phrases that have passed into common used, e.g. post mortem, vice versa.
¡ì The title of an unpublished work.
Biological nomenclature
A taxonomic article must be in accord with the relevant rules in the International Codes of Nomenclature for animals, bacteria and plants. The rules governing viral nomenclature are given in Fenner (1976). Alternatively, you can seek the advice of a professional taxonomist or a member of the editorial committee, or consult a reference such as Jeffery (1977).
The following brief notes on nomenclature are intended for general guidance only.
Animals, bacteria and plants
The codes governing the nomenclature of organisms in these three groups have many basic features in common, but differ somewhat in detail. In all these groups the name of a species is binomial, i.e. it consists of the generic name, which begins with a capital letter, followed by the specific name, which is peculiar to the organism concerned and (except in a few special cases governed by the Bacteriological and Botanical Codes) begins with a small letter, e.g. Bos taurus. In some cases the generic and specific names may be followed by a subspecific name and, in Botany only, by a variety name. All these names are printed in italics.
The first time an organism is mentioned in the text, its generic and specific names must be given in full, e.g. Babesia bigemina, Taenia ovis. When it is mentioned again, its generic name can usually be abbreviated to the initial letter, e.g. B. bigemina, T. ovis. If. however, the generic names of two organisms mentioned in a paper have the same initial letters, and in addition these organisms have identical specific names, their generic names must always be written out to avoid confusion, e.g. Taenia ovis and Trichuris ovis.
In a taxonomic article, in addition to the full scientific name of each organism mentioned, the author(s) must be given the first time it is cited. The date on which the original description of the organism was published is often, but not always, given. The rules governing the ways in which authors and dates are quoted differ somewhat in the three International Codes of Nomenclature. For a zoological organism the generic and specific (and, where necessary, sub-specific) names are followed by the name(s) of the author(s), then - should one wish to cite the date - by a comma and the date, e.g. Babesia bigemina Smith & Kilbourne, 1893. With bacteria there is no comma between the name(s) of author(s) and the date, e.g. Pasteurella haemolytica Newson & Cross 1932. In the case of plants the author's name is often abbreviated, e.g. Grewia robusta Harv. The names of authors and dates must not be enclosed in parentheses or brackets at whim. Such punctuation marks have precise meanings in taxonomic literature, as do words such as in, ex and sensu when they are used in connection with the names of organisms. See the appropriate code or Jeffery (1977) for further details.
In the zoological, bacteriological and botanical kingdoms the names of taxa above the rank of genus, i.e. phyla, classes, orders and families, and their subdivisions, are not italicized. These names begin with capital letters when they are used scientifically, e.g. "Mammalia", but with lower case letters in common usage, E.G. "mammals".
Viruses
The nomenclature of viruses is unique in some respects. Family names all begin with a capital letter and end with the suffix "-viridae", e.g. Picornaviridae. Generic names, which also begin with a capital letter, end with the suffix "-virus" and are printed in italics, e.g. Orbivirus. Viral nomenclature is not binomial, and latinized specific names are not used. A species epithet often consists of a single word, e.g. reovirus, rotavirus. An epithet derived from the name of a disease, however, is written as two or more words, e.g. bluetongue virus, foot-and-mouth-disease virus, and it may be combined with letters, e.g. influenza types A and B virus. An epithet derived from a place name begins with a capital letter and is also written as two or more words, e.g. Bunyamwera virus; Nairobi sheep-disease virus.
See Fenner (1976) for further details.
Geographic names
The initial letters of geographic names are capitalized, e.g. South Africa, but use southern Africa, south-western Free State, eastern Gauteng.
Units of measurement
Use metric units (Sl, Syst¨¨me International d'Unit¨¦s) throughout. Exceptions are l (litre = keystroke Alt + 0181) and ml (millilitre) which are non-S.l. units accepted for general use. The symbol is the same for both singular and plural forms.
Dates
Dates in the text should preferably be written as follows: 31 January 1995. Nevertheless, to avoid possible repetition of the months in long lists of dates, the following style can be used: 1995.01.31.
In tables the months should, where necessary, be abbreviated to the first three or four letters, e.g. Sept., Oct.
Abbreviations
Abbreviations, e.g. CSF (cerebrospinal fluid), and acronyms should be used only if they have to be repeated frequently. They must be defined when mentioned for the first time, both in the abstract and in the text.
Numerals
Numbers from one to ten must be written as words and not as numerals. Numerals must be used for numbers above ten, except in the titles of papers and at the beginning of sentences, in which case the number and unit must be written as words. Leave a space between numerals and units, e.g. 5 m (not 5m); 2 h (not 2h); 5 % (not 5%); 5 ¡ãC (not 5¡ãC).
Trade names
Chemical compounds
Use the international non-proprietary name for pharmaceuticals, as determined by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the common name for pesticides, as determined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The first time such a name is mentioned in the text, give its South African trade name (in quotation marks and starting with a capital letter), followed by the name of the manufacturer or seller in parentheses.
The full chemical name should be used only when on non-proprietary or common name has been given to a compound.
Equipment
When referring to equipment by a trade name, give the name of the manufacturer in brackets immediately after the trade name.
Copyright
Copyright law requires that you obtain written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce published material. If the author is not the copyright holder it is courteous to request the author's permission also. The source of any material used must be acknowledged in the paper and, where appropriate, the full reference must be included in the list of references.
Further information on this subject is given in O'Connor & Woodford (1976).
Proofs
Final page proofs are submitted to the author who should read and correct them meticulously, according to the original manuscript, using the appropriate symbols in blue ink. No author's corrections (in the original manuscript) will be accommodated at this stage since it will influence page layout and escalate printing costs. Particular attention should be paid to illustrations since they will have been processed by the graphic artists to comply with the uniform style of the journal.
