Capital: Port Moresby Population: 6,732,000 Languages: English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu Currency: PNG Kina

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

as PAPUA and NEW GUINEA

1968

FAUNA CONSERVATION : FROGS
(SG 129-132)

5c Hyla thesaurensis	10c Hyla iris
15c Ceratobatrachus guentheri	20c Nyctimystes narinosa

A very attractive set of four stamps featuring Papuan frogs with the generic name of three species changing in the intervening years, from Hyla or Nyctimystes to Litoria.

as PAPUA NEW GUINEA

1972

FAUNA CONSERVATION : REPTILES
(SG 216-219)

7c Carettochelys insculpta	14c Goniocephalus godeffroyi
21c Chondropython viridis	30c Varanus salvadori

Complimenting the Frogs set, the four Reptile stamps illustrate the diversity of Papuan herpetofauna, including the longest lizard in the world (Varanus salvadori) and the closest curious Fly River turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) the nearest thing to a freshwater sea turtle. Only the python and the anglehead have seen changes in their nomenclature.

1973

DEFINITIVES: TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS
(SG 249)

14c Crocodile Hunters : Western District

This series of definitives comprises 19 stamps featuring tradional occupations, one for each of the 19 districts of Papua New Guinea. The 14c stamp, for Western District, shows twovCrocodile Hunters skinning a pair of New Guinea crocodiles* (Crocodylus noveaeguineae) while their dog, so often crocodile fodder itself, waits for scraps.

* species identification based on the presence of post-occipital scutes

1975

NEW COINAGE
(SG 282 & 285)

7 t (2t+5t) Fly River Turtle	K1 Crocodiles

This set if five stamps illustrated the six new coins of Papua New Guinea, two of which feature herpetological subject. The 5t coin featured the Fly River turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) while the K1 coin features two crocodiles, possibly both species present in the country, the Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and New Guinea crocodile (C.novaeguineae). These coins continue in use today.

1978

FAUNA CONSERVATION : SKINKS
(SG 346-349)

10t Blue-tailed skink Emoia caeruleocauda	15t Green tree skink Lamprolepis smaragdina
35t Crocodile skink Tribolonotus gracilis	40t New Guinea blue-tongued skink Tiliqua gigas

Continuing the Fauna Conservation theme, PostPNG launched a set of four diverse skinks, all of which retain their nomenclature today. My particular favourite is of course the Crocodile skink, Tribolonotus gracilis.

1984

TURTLES
(SG 216-219)

5t Chelonia depressa	10t Chelonia mydas	15t Eretmochelys imbricata`
20t Lepidochelys olivacea	25t Caretta caretta	40t Dermochelys coriacea

Six stamps featuring the six sea turtles found around the coasts of Papua New Guinea, only the nomenclature of the Flatback sea turtle (Natator depressus) having changed since these stamps were issued.

Download my article from The Herptile about the herpetological stamps of PNG from 1962-1984, including those issues that included reptiles in culture and custom, by clicking on the link below:

O'Shea, M. 2006 The herpetological stamps of Papua New Guinea. The Herptile 31(3):83-93.

2006

DANGEROUS SNAKE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
(SG 1140-1145)

5t Black whipsnake Demansia vestigiata	80t Papuan taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus canni	K2 Smooth-scaled death adder Acanthophis laevis
K3.20 Papuan blacksnake Pseudechis papuanus	K3.25 New Guinea small-eyed snake Micropechis ikaheka	K5.35 Eastern brownsnake Pseudonaja textilis

The set of six Dangerous Snakes of Papua New Guinea stamps were designed by me and launched at the National Snakebite Management Course in Port Moresby on 16 September 2006. These stamps are available from the O'Shea Shop as stamp sets, stamp packs, first day covers or limited edition maxi-cards.

Download my article from The Herptile about the Dangerous Snakes of Papua New Guinea stamp series by clicking on the link below:

O'Shea, M. 2006 The dangerous snakes of Papua New Guinea: A commemorative stamp issue. The Herptile 31(4):132-140.

2007

ENDANGERED MARINE TURTLES
(SG n/a)

10t Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata	35t Flatback Turtle Natator depressus	85t Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta
K3 Leatherback Turtle Dermochelys coriacea	K3.35 Green Turtle Chelonia mydas	K5.35 Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea

Endangered Marine Turtles minisheet (not to scale with stamps above)
85t Flatback Turtle Natator depressus	K3 Leatherback Turtle Dermochelys coriacea	K3.35 Green Turtle Chelonia mydas	K5.35 Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea

Another set of six stamps featuring the sea turtles of Papua New Guinea, all nomenclature up to date.
This set is especially attactive because of the additional minisheet featuring four juvenile sea turtles.

Download my article from The Herptile about the herpetological stamps of the Solomon Islands which includes a psotscript on the PNG Endangered Sea Turtle issue of 2007, by clicking on the link below:

O'Shea, M. 2009 The herpetological stamps of the Solomon Islands. The Herptile 34(3):85-97.

2009

FROGS
(SG n/a)

85t Albericus siegfriedi	K3 Cophixalus nubicola
K3.20 Nyctimystes pulcher	K6.00 Sphenophryne cornuta

Frogs 2009 minisheet (not to scale with stamps above)
85t Litoria sauroni	K3 Litoria prora	K3.35 Litoria multiplica	K5.35 Litoria pronimia

Frogs 2009 minisheet (not to scale with stamps above)

K10 Oreophyrne sp.

A return to frogs for PostPNG for the first time in 41 years, a superb series of unusual microhylid and hylid frogs illustrated on four separate stamps and two minisheets by photographs from Steve Richards.

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

Papuan stamp packs

Papuan first day covers

Papuan maxi-cards