Capital: Wellington
Population: 4,400,500
Languages: English, Maori
Currency:
Nea Zealand dollar
NEW ZEALAND

1935


DEFINITIVES
(SG 586d)

8d Tuatara

 

 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
8d
none
SSphenodon punctatus
Tuatara

One of 14 definitives was illustrated with a reptile, the unique and endemic Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), a living representive of the otherwise extinct Rhychocephalia, the sister-taxa to all lizards and snakes (Squamata).

1960


DEFINITIVES
(SG 796)

2/- Maori rock art

 

A new set of definitives includes an ilustration of a lizard or tuatara from a Maori rock drawing. Several versions of this stamp were issued.

1984


AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES
(SG 1340-1344)

 

24c Hamilton's frog
24c Great Barrier skink
30c Harlequin gecko
58c Otago skink
70c Gold-striped gecko

 

 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
24c
none
Leiopelma hamiltoni
Hamilton's frog
24c
none
Oligosoma homalonotum
Chevron skink
30c
none
Hoplodactylus rakiurae
Harlequin gecko
58c
none
Oligosoma otagense
Otago skink
70c
none
Hoplodactylus chrysosirecticus
Gold-striped gecko

An attractive series of five stamps, the two 24c stamps being se-tenant, featuring some of the unique frogs, skinks and geckos of New Zealand.

1991


ENDANGERED SPECIES : TUATARA
(SG 1590-1593)

 
40c Tuatara
Sphenodon punctatus
40c Tuatara
Sphenodon punctatus
40c Tuatara
Sphenodon punctatus
40c Tuatara
Sphenodon punctatus

 

 

 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
40c
Sphenodon punctatus
Sphenodon punctatus
Tuatara
40c
Sphenodon punctatus
Sphenodon punctatus
Tuatara
40c
Sphenodon punctatus
Sphenodon punctatus
Tuatara
40c
Sphenodon punctatus
Sphenodon punctatus
Tuatara

A striking series of four stamps featuring studies of the unique and endemic Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus).

 

1993


ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION
(SG 1736-1739)

45c Hamilton's frog
    

 

 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
45c
none
Leiopelma hamiltoni
Hamilton's frog

A se-tenant set of four stamps, each featuring endangered New Zealand flora and fauna, one of which shows Hamilton's frog (Leiopelma hamiltoni).

2001


MARINE REPTILES
(SG 2386-2391, MS 2392)
40c Green turtle
80c Leathery turtle
90c Loggerhead turtle
$1.30 Hawksbill turtle
$1.50 Banded sea snake
$2.00 Yellow-bellied sea snake

CHINESE YEAR OF THE SNAKE
(SG n/a)

$1.50 Banded sea snake
    
$2.00 Yellow-bellied sea snake
    

 

 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
40c
none
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle
80c
none
Dermochelys coriacea
Leatherback sea turtle
90c
none
Caretta caretta
Loggerhead sea turtle
$1.30
none
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
$1.50
none
Laticauda colubrina
Yellow-lipped sea krait
$2.00
none
Pelamis platurus
Yellow-bellied seasnake

 

For an ophidiophobic country, New Zealand excelled itself with this issue for the Chinese New Year, four sea turtles, a seasnake and a sea krait. A very attractive set wit the two snake stamps also being issued as a minisheet for the Chinese Year of the Snake.

Associated links on this site:
New Zealand herps on non-herps stamps

New Zealand first day covers