Azores Biodiversity

The Azores consist of 9 small islands made from volcano eruptions, located in the Atlantic Ocean. It takes about 2 hours to fly from Lisbon to the Azores. The total area is about  2.333 km2. There are great variation in the size of the islands. São Miguel is the biggest with 747 km2. Corvo  is the smallest with only 17 km2.

The Portuguese post office (CTT) has issued a new collection of stamps dedicated to the ponds of the Azores on April 22, 2009. The issue is a joint effort between CTT and the Institute of the Conservation of the Nature which celebrates the diversity of life in the region and ongoing efforts to protect habitats.

The four stamps show images of ponds with birds, fishes or trees. The 32 centimos stamp represents Comprida Lake, in Flores Island with a Scolopax rusticola, a very common bird that can be found across Asia and Europe, hence why it's known as Eurasian Woodcock.

The 68 centimos stamp  represent Lake of Caldeirão in Corvo Island with  the beautiful butterfly, a Hipparchia azorina that is endemic to Azores and is currently threatened.

The 80 centimos stamp represent  Lake of Capitão in Pico with  the Dragonfly , a Anax imperator, an amazing blue variety.

The 2 euros stamp represent Lagoinha in Terceira with the fruit is taken from a tree endemic to Azores, the Juniperus brevifolia. , a Cedar tree. Meanwhile the one of two souvenir sheet were issued depicted  underwater water creature like fish, shell, and octopus. Other sheet depicted  three species of ducts .

Azores’s marine Invertebrate -2010

The Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, isolated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and more than 1300 km from the nearest continent, is formed by the nine immersed tops of an underwater mountain range. On July 01, 2010, Portugal Post (Azores) issued the stamp set  to  recall special attention to the necessary ecological alarm against mankind’s aggressions to the planet’s frail balance.

Portuguese stamps displaying regional themes from the Azores. This is the case with the stamps that over the years have been devoted to the flora and fauna of the Azores, and with this issue as well, which focuses on the archipelago’s marine invertebrates. In the large group formed by animals without backbone, marine species usually stand out to the layman because of their shapes and colors that never cease to amaze us.

Grapsus adscenionis

Grapsus adscenionis is found   in Ascension Island, Azores Exclusive Economic Zone , East Atlantic . Despite the low commercial interest as food for human consumption, this species is becoming popular in aquaculture. Therefore,general biology and specific reproduction related information of the species will support a sustainable use of this fishery resource to avoid overexploitation.