Stamps Wiki:Stamp Issues Today/October 5

Australia Post today released two sets of Postage Stamps:


 * The first issue is an Australian Antarctic Territory set of postage stamps featuring Lichen.


 * Lichen is a plant comprising layers of both fungi and green algae. It forms because of the symbiotic relationships between the two; fungi are dependent on algae for photosynthesis and algae on fungi for protection. Lichens are some of the oldest living organisms on earth and possess several adaptations that enable them to survive in the harsh Antarctic conditions<


 * The second issue features Nature's Mimics (Minisheet pictured right) - animals that employ modes of deception to extend their existence through protective and/or predatory disguises that increase their defences, their access to food and the likelihood of their successful reproduction. The evolution of mimetic mechanisms confers advantage to a mimetic species in the ongoing battle for survival.


 * The stamps show animals from three groups – a bird, a fish and an insect – that have evolved to use visual mimicry for protective purposes. The illustrations reveal the animal while simultaneously indicating its capacity for camouflage.