Shellfish, Crustaceans & Mollusks On Stamps

Fiji
Mangrove Mud Lobster
January 24, 2007
Thalassina anomala
Thalassina is a genus of mud lobsters found in the mangrove swamps of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. Thalassina lives in burrows up to 2 meters deep, and is active at night. Its burrowing brings organic matter up from deep sediments.

Fiji
Blue Spiny Lobster
April 22, 2008
Blue Spiny Lobster (Panulirus versicolor) is a species of spiny lobster that lives in tropical reefs. It is active at night which includes searching for food in sand or rubble and feeding.

Tokelau
Crabs
June 3, 2015
Coconut Crab (Birgus latro)
Cardisoma (Cardisoma sp.)
Ocypode (Ocypode sp.)
Grapsus (Grapsus sp.)

Christmas Island
Christmas Island Red Crabs
August 12, 2014
The Christmas Island red crab (Gecarcoidea natalis) is a species of land crab that is endemic to Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. Christmas Island red crabs are well known for their huge numbers and their annual mass migration to the sea to lay their eggs in the ocean.

Fiji
Mangrove Crabs
September 26, 1991
Serrated Swimming Crab (Scylla serrata)
Shore Crab (Metopograpsus messor)
Red-handed Shore Crab (Parasesarma erythrodactyla)
Brown Land Crab (Cardisoma carnifex)

Cuba
Agriculture - Marine Life
May 10, 1994
Set of six stamps including a blue land crab (Cardisoma guanhumi) and a Caribbean spiny lobster (Palinurus argus).

Netherlands New Guinea
Social Care semipostal stamps
September 17, 1962
Carpilius maculatus
Cherax communis Holthuis
Macrobrachium lar
Panulirus versicolor

Tuvalu
Crabs
January 7, 1986
Stalk-eyed Ghost Crab (Ocypode ceratophthalma)
Red and White Painted Crab (Lophozozymus pictor)
Red-spotted Crab (Carpilius maculatus)
Red Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos)

Tokelau
Crabs of the Pacific
August 10, 1999
Coconut Crab (Birgus latro)
Ghost Crab (Ocypode cerathophthalma)
Land Hermit Crab (Coenobita perlatus)
Purple Hermit Crab (Coenobita brevimanus)

Brazil
Sea Snails
September 8, 1989
Hebrew Volute (Voluta ebraea)
Matthew's Snail (Morum matthewsi)
Travassos's Ancilla (Agaronia travassosi)

French Polynesia
Seashells
October 12, 1989
Triphoridae
Muricidae favartia
Muricidae morula

Macedonia
Fauna - Shells of Macedonia
September 6, 2006
Laminated ancylus
Macedopyrgula
Trapezoid gyraulus
Hairy valvata
Ochridopyrgula Macedonia

Marshall Islands
Seashells
August 1, 1986
Branched Murex (Chicoreus ramosus)
Orange Spider Conch (Lambis crocata)
Red Mouth Frog Shell (Bursa lissostoma)
Lacinate Conch (Strombus sinuatus)
Giant Frog Snail (Bursa bubo)

Japan New Year's lottery postcard, 2016 (apologies for the masking to hide personal information).



Well, you may easily spot the shrimp on the bottom centre... but there's more hidden surprises :-)





Zooming up the imprinted stamp part, you can find shrimps, shrimps, shrimps... Yes, all these motifs are made up of shrimps.

Shrimp is a symbol of long life (long "beard" and bent waist, just like old person) and do play an important role for celebrating the new year days, often used in the traditional dishes for the new year ("Ose-chi" dishes).

I believe this postal stationery is the "most non-self-evident shrimp design" amongst all the postal items hitherto issued :-)


-unechan

Bangladesh
Shrimps
December 31, 1991
Giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon)
Speckled shrimp (Metapenaeus monoceros)