840) Iceland's Seabed Ecosystem II: A set of two stamps depicting the Giant File Clam (Acesta excavata) & the Zigzag Coral (Madrepora oculata) issued by Islandspostur (Icelandic Post) on 14.09.2017:

840) Iceland's Seabed Ecosystem II: A set of two stamps depicting the Giant File Clam (Acesta excavata) & the Zigzag Coral (Madrepora oculata) issued by Islandspostur (Icelandic Post) on 15.09.2017: 

This set of two stamps issued on 15.09.2017 depicts life-forms found on Icelands’ Sea-bed which are a part of the sea-bed eco-system -  Giant File Clan (Acesta excavata) and the Zigzag Coral (Madrepora oculata):

A First Day Cover (FDC) issued on the occasion of release of the stamps shows a stylised representation of a sea-bed with an under-water camera video-graphing/filming it under-water. At top right are the two stamps depicting - a Giant File Clam (Acesta excavata) and the Zigzag Coral (Madrepora oculata). The special cancellation handstamp is of UTGAFUDAGUR REYKJAVIK and is dated "14.09.2017".

A First Day Cover (FDC) with a Block of four stamps on the Giant File Clam affixed to it

A First Day Cover (FDC) with a Block of four stamps on the Zig-Zag Coral affixed to it

Giant File Clam (Acesta excavata):

A 50 g stamp depicting the Giant File Clam (Acesta excavata)

The Giant File Clam is a large and moderately convex bivalve living in the South and South-west of Iceland at a depth of 200-1400 metres. 

The largest shells measure 17.0 centimetres in height and 10.0 centimetres in width. This is the largest bivalve found in Icelandic waters.

The animal itself is pink or orange in colour while the shell is whitish. The Giant File Clam is often found close to corals and coral reefs. It subsists on plankton which are filtered from the mass of sea water.

The Giant Clam is considered  excellent food but it is not harvested or used for culinary purposes.

A Sheetlet of 5 x 2 = 10 Stamps on the Giant File Clam

A First Day Cover (FDC) affixed with a single stamp depicting the Giant File Clam

Zigzag Coral (Madrepora oculata):

A 100 g stamp depicting the Zigzag Coral (Madepora oculata) 

The Zigzag Coral is a stony coral that forms a hard calcium shell. 

The Zigzag Coral is one of the three coral species that can form coral reefs in Icelandic waters. Its growth rate is about 3-20 mm annually, which means that the formation of coral reefs takes an enormous amount of time. 

In Iceland, the Zigzag Coral grows at the edge of the continental shelf off the South and West of Iceland at a depth of 200-1000 metres. There are many coral reefs in this area and some of them have been filmed with underwater cameras. These coral reefs are protected.

A Souvenir Sheet of 5 x 2 = 10 stamps depicting the Zigzag Coral

A First Day Cover (FDC) affixed with a single stamp depicting the Zigzag Coral

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 15.09.2017

Size of Stamps: 36 mm x 25.5 mm

Printing Process: Offset Litho + Pantone

Printer: Cartor Security Printing

Designer: Orn Smari Gislason/ The Icelandic Marine Research Institute (photos)