Morphological Review of the Japanese Mountain Mole (Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) with the Proposal of a New Genus

Abstract

Abstract. The taxonomic position of the Japanese mountain mole (Euroscaptor mizura) was reassessed based on its external and skeletal morphologies. The muzzle shape of the intact individuals in this species exhibits a unique central groove on the ventral side, widening into a small naked portion at the tip. The naked portion becomes long and triangular in dried skin specimens, which was previously used as a specific characteristic of this species. It has the longest tail of talpine moles, with a rod shape that becomes narrow and lanceolate-shaped at the tip. The auditory ossicles include the malleus with a constricted neck and incus with a long processus brevis. It has a regressive mogeroid-type pelvis with two sciatic foramina, and a sacrum fused to the ischium. These morphological characteristics are not shared with continental Euroscaptor species, with which the Japanese mountain mole was originally classified based on the dental formula. Therefore, a new genus is proposed for this species.