Portugal’s first amphibian stamp issue pairs philately with biodiversity research and citizen science

A new Portuguese philatelic issue announced on 11 September 2026 will bring amphibians onto the country’s postage stamps for the first time in the 57-year period since CTT began systematically depicting wild species. The “Anfíbios de Portugal” issue is scheduled for 18 September and combines a new set of stamps with research on how Portuguese biodiversity has been represented in philately since 1968.

The issue features five amphibian species: the Iberian green frog, marbled newt, common toad, fire salamander and Lusitanian salamander. CTT’s official issue listing confirms four stamps in N20g, A20g, E20g and I20g tariff classes plus a €3.50 miniature sheet. The stamps measure 40 x 30.6 mm, while the miniature sheet measures 125 x 95 mm. Fernando J. S. Correia created the illustrations, Colmeia Design and Túlio Coelho handled the design, and bpost Philately & Stamps Printing produced the issue by offset on certified 100% recycled paper.

The philatelic programme grows out of Correia’s study of nature on Portuguese stamps. The research reviewed issues from 1968 through 2025 and found 666 stamps and 23 self-adhesive labels devoted to natural heritage, representing more than 360 species. Despite that breadth, amphibians had not appeared. The study also found uneven coverage of protected biodiversity, with stronger representation of species covered by the EU Birds Directive than those covered by the Habitats Directive.

The issue adds an unusual citizen-science dimension. Material accompanying the stamps links the represented species through QR codes and persistent identifiers to BioDiversity4All, Portugal’s iNaturalist network. Collectors and members of the public can therefore move directly from the stamp imagery to species information and contribute field observations, connecting a traditional collecting medium with current biodiversity recording.

The stamps will be launched on 18 September alongside the 200-page CTT book “Impressões da Natureza – O Teatro da Biodiversidade: 1968-2025” at the Serralves Foundation in Porto. The book has a numbered print run of 3,500 copies and includes the complete amphibian issue. First-day cancellations are planned for Lisbon, Porto, Funchal, Ponta Delgada and Angra do Heroísmo.