Sunday, May 8, 2011

Reptiles from Algeria


Thank you Omar for this FDC with two 15 DA stamps illustrating the:

Horned Viper
It is a venomous snake found in the deserts and semi-deserts of North Africa. This nocturnal species' horns consist of a single long scale spinelike.  They fold back in response to direct stimulation, thus streamlining  the head and easing passage through burrows. Horns often occur in more individuals from sandy deserts as opposed to stony deserts.

Diadem Snake (Lytorhynchus diadema)
It lives in countries with very dry climate, and is hence present in North Africa.  Feeding on lizards, birds and rodents, it helps enormously in regulating the populations of those animals harmful to agriculture.  It reaches up to 180cm when adult and lays 5 to 16 eggs which hatch between 60-70 days.


Omar also affixed on the verso of the envelope the 'Degla Beida date' stamp issued by Algeria in 2010.

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