Japanese Shrew Mole
Encyclopedia
The Japanese Shrew Mole or Himizu (ヒミズ) (Urotrichus talpoides) is a species of mammal
in the Talpidae
family. It is endemic to Japan
. It is one of three Urotrichini
and it is the only species in the genus Urotrichus.
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
in the Talpidae
Talpidae
The family Talpidae includes the moles, shrew moles, desmans, and other intermediate forms of small insectivorous mammals of the order Soricomorpha...
family. It is endemic to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is one of three Urotrichini
Urotrichini
Urotrichini are Japanese and American shrew-moles belonging to the Old World Moles and Relatives branch of the mole family. There are only three species, each of which represents its own genus. The name "Shrew-moles" refers to their morphological resemblance to shrews, while generally being thought...
and it is the only species in the genus Urotrichus.