The founding editor-in-chief was A. Grove Day. Leonard D. Tuthill served as editor of vols. 2-7 (1948–1953); William A. Gosline edited vols. 8-10 (1954–1956) and vols. 22-25 (1968–1971); and O. A. Bushnell edited vols. 11-21 (1957–1967). The longest-serving editor was E. Alison Kay, who edited vols. 26-54 (1972–2000), stepping down only after she retired. Gerald D. Carr edited vols. 55-58 (2001–2004) and from vol. 59 (2005) was succeeded by Curtis C. Daehler. All editors have been faculty of the University of Hawaiʻi.
The journal's first electronic edition appeared in 2001 on Project MUSE, which continues to host archives of vols. 55 (2001) through 61 (2007). The most current electronic edition is available on BioOne, which also hosts archives going back to vol. 59 (2005).
