crustacians, animals and birds of Liechstenstein 11.3.1976

These lovely stamps from Liechstenstein show some rare crustacians, animals and birds. They are:-

(25)Astacus. meaning "lobster" or "crayfish" is a genus of crayfish found in Europe and western Asia, comprising three extant and four extinct species.

Due to the American crayfish plague, crayfish of this genus have been almost wiped out in Europe and have in many European countries been replaced by the North American signal crayfish, which is often more resistant to the plague.

(40) The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis), also called the European pond terrapin, is a long-living freshwater species of turtle.

(70) The European otter (Lutra lutra), also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters.

(80) The Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), also known as the peewit, pewit, tuit or tew-it (imitative of its cry), green plover (emphasising the colour of the plumage) or (in the British Isles) just lapwing (which refers to its peculiar, erratic way of flying), is a bird in the lapwing family. It is common through temperate Eurasia.