Himizu (hibumi) - Himizu (English spelling) Urotrichus talpoides

Japanese: ヒミズ(日不見) - ヒミズ（英語表記）Urotrichus talpoides

A primitive small mole (illustration) endemic to Japan, living in the mountains of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. A mammal of the family Talentiidae in the order Insectivore. Its body is much smaller and more slender than that of a mole, with a thin snout and small front legs, but a long, bat-like tail at the base. Its black, velvety fur has a slight green metallic sheen. Its body length is 7.5-10 cm, its tail length 3-4 cm, and its weight 12-24 g. It usually digs tunnels about 3 cm in diameter under the leaf litter on the forest floor in mountainous areas up to an altitude of about 1,800 m, and feeds on earthworms, insects, centipedes, etc., as well as some plant matter such as seeds and roots.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

本州，四国，九州の山地にすむ日本固有の原始的な小型のモグラ（イラスト）。食虫目モグラ科の哺乳類。体がモグラよりもはるかに小さくきゃしゃで，吻（ふん）は細く前足は小さいが，尾は長く付け根の細いバット状。黒色のビロード状の毛にはわずかに緑色の金属光沢が認められる。体長7.5～10cm，尾長3～4cm，体重は12～24g。ふつう標高1800mくらいまでの山地の林床に，直径3cmほどのトンネルを落葉層の下に掘って，ミミズ，昆虫，ムカデなどを捕食するほか，種子，根など若干の植物質も食べる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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