It was established in 1890 as Monitore Zoologico Italiano, obtaining its current name in 1989, with volume numbering restarted at 1.

The journal was established in 1890 by Giulio Chiarugi and Eugenio Ficalbi (who edited it until 1922) as the Monitore Zoologico Italiano.

In 1967 the number of directors rises to 6 with the entry of Alberto Monroy and Floriano Papi.

Since 1967, an annual Supplement[1] of the Monitore has been published in relation to the development of zoology research in tropical areas (in particular Somalia following the foundation of the Centro di Studio per la Faunistica ed Ecologia Tropicali del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, directed by Pardi) The publication of the Supplement lasted until 1987, becoming independent magazine since 1988, with the name of Tropical Zoology.

Starting from 1975 the Monitore Zoologico Italiano publishes a series of monographs focusing on themes of parasitology, herpetology, and ethology.