Ichnos的首要目標(biāo)是促進卓越的魚類學(xué)研究。主要研究重點集中在示蹤生物的生態(tài)學(xué)和生態(tài)學(xué)意義上;生物基質(zhì)相互關(guān)系;以及生物過程在環(huán)境重建、沉積物動力學(xué)、層序或事件地層學(xué)、生物地球化學(xué)和沉積成巖作用中的作用。每一項貢獻都建立在堅實的分類學(xué)基礎(chǔ)之上，盡管只涉及分類學(xué)和命名法的論文可能沒有涉及魚類學(xué)概念和解釋方面的論文那么重要。生物學(xué)家和地質(zhì)學(xué)家的貢獻同樣受到歡迎。

The foremost aim of Ichnos is to promote excellence in ichnologic research. Primary emphases center upon the ethologic and ecologic significance of tracemaking organisms; organism-substrate interrelationships; and the role of biogenic processes in environmental reconstruction, sediment dynamics, sequence or event stratigraphy, biogeochemistry, and sedimentary diagenesis. Each contribution rests upon a firm taxonomic foundation, although papers dealing solely with systematics and nomenclature may have less priority than those dealing with conceptual and interpretive aspects of ichnology. Contributions from biologists and geologists are equally welcome.