Capital: Conakry Population: 10,058,000 Languages: French Currency: Guinean Franc GUINEA

1967

PASTEUR RESEARCH INSTITUTE
(antivenom production)
(SG 590-602)

20c Pasteur Research Institute	30c Python regius	50c Extraction of venom
1f Python sebae	2f Attendants with python	5f Bitis gabonica

20f Dendroaspis viridis	30f Bitis gabonica
50f Python sebae	75c Extraction of venom
200f Pasteur Research Institute	300f Attendants with python

There is no denying the artwork on these twelve stamps and accompanying minisheet is primitive, almost childish, but they still have an appeal and are attractive. The subject is of course the miking of venomous snakes and the production of antivenom by the Pasteur Research Institute, so the inclusion of several stamps featuring the Royal or Ball python (Python regius) of the Central African rock python (Python sebae) are curious anomalies. The venomous species represented here are the West African green mamba (Dendroaspis viridis) and the West African gaboon viper (Bitis rhinoceros) with its pronounced nasal horns.

1968

AFRICAN FAUNA
(SG 661)

20f Crocodylus niloticus

One stamp in a series of nine features a crocodile, most likely the West African crocodile (Crocodylus suchus).

1977

REPTILES
(SG 937-947)

3s Varanus niloticus	4s Hyperolius quinquevittatus
5s Uromastyx
6s Scincus scincus	6.50s Agama agama
7s Naja melanoleuca	8.50s Python regius
10s Chamaeleo dilepis	15s Crocodylus niloticus
20s Bufo mauritanicus	25s Testudo elegans

At first glance a very attractive set of eleven stamps, but many are not found in Guinea, or even in tropical West Africa. The North African species are: North African dab lizard (Uromastyx acanthinura), Sandfish (Scincus scincus) and Moroccan toad (Amietophrynus mauritanicus), the southern or central African species are Five-striped reed frog (Hyperiolius quinquevittatus) and Flap-necked chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis) and the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). The species occuring in West Africa ie. Guinea, are Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus), Common agama (Agama agama), Forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) and Royal or Ball python (Python regius). The Indian starred tortoise (Geochelone elegans) does not occur in Africa but is from the Indian sub-continent. Evenso, these are attractive stamps and my favourite is the juvenile Forest cobra, alert and interested.

1998

FROGS
(SG n/a)

200fg Mt Nimba live-bearing frog Nectophrynoides occidentalis	300fg Mt Nimba live-bearing frog Nectophrynoides occidentalis	750fg Mt Nimba live-bearing frog Nectophrynoides occidentalis

Three stamps illustrating a live-bearing toad from Mt Nimba, the Mt Nimba viviparous toad (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis).

2002

CROCODILIANS
(SG n/a)

1050fg Crocodylus intermedius	1050fg Alligator missippiensis
1050fg Crocodylus siamensis	1050fg Gavialis gangeticus

Four fairly attractive stamps featuring four crocodilian species, though none from Africa, one from North America, one from South America and two from Asia.

Associated links on this site:
Guinea herps on non-herps stamps