Talk:Urotrichini

Questions for Professor Shinohara:
Q: I understand that Mogera wogura is a mole, or "mogura" in Japanese, but that I also understand that Urotrichus talpoides is not called "mogura" but "himizu". Would Dymecodon pilirostris be an himizu, too? What about other creatures, such as Neurotrichus gibbsii, which isn't Japanese, but as seen from Japanese culture, what would it be?

A:

We have two Talpidae words in Japanese: Mogura = Mole, and Himizu = shrew-mole. "Desmanu" not native Japanese word or animal form.

As scientific name and English name, there are Japanese scientific names of each animals. "Mole" is "Mogera".

Mogera wogura (= Large Japanese Mole) = Koube Mogura ("Koube" is the name of city in Japan).

Mogera imaizumii (= Lessor Japanese Mole) = Azuma Mogura ("Azuma" means the Eastern in Japanese)

Mogera etigo (=Etigo Mole) = Etigo Mogura (Etigo means the name of plane, where the mole distributed)

Mogera tokudae (=Sado Mole) = Sado Mogura (Sado means the name of the island, where the mole distributed)

Euroscaptor mizura (=Japanese Mountain Mole) = Mizura Mogura (I don't know the strict meaning of Mizura. Euroscaptor mizura was firstly described by Gunther at 1880. I will ask to my some friends to the original meaning of MIZURA, but it probably came from MIZU (=Water in English), because this mole inhabits only high mountainous areas, and Japanese people believed that mountains keep the water for life).

Himizu are:

Urotrichus talpoides = (Japanese shrew mole) = Himizu

Dymecodon pilirostris = (True's shrew mole) = Hime Himizu "Hime" means "Princess" or "a Girl" in Japanese. Dymecodon pilirostris is smaller than Urotrichus talpoides. So, old Japanese scientist named Dymecodon "Hime" shrew mole. It is not to misunderstand that Dymecodon is female and Urostrichus is male. Japanese people take female (=Hime) as an analogy of "smaller".)

Q: Would the American "shrew mole" Neurotrichus be Himizu?

Japanese scientists use "American shrew mole" for Neurotrichus gibbssi. So we use Japanese name for this animal as "AMERICA HIMIZU" 'AMERICA means american in Japanese!

Q: What about Uropsilus? For mammalian scientist, "shrew-like mole" is the English name of genus Uropsilus. This mole is very resembling shrews, but still a member of family Talpidae.

Interestingly, there is a mole-shrew. This means the genus Anourosorex. This shrew is resembling to shrew mole, but it is shrew! Wow, It seems a word game!

The names of animals are always confusing, not only Japanese and English names, but also in scientific names. But this confusion suggests that we sometimes unconsciously know (and/or acknowledge) the biodiversity of the nature. If nobody had interest in biodiversity, probably there would be no confusion for animal names. It's wonderful! It is the evidence that humans like the nature.

This message came to me, chrisrus(sell) from

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dr. Akio Shinohara Research Associate/Assistant Professor, Bio-resource Division, Department of Biotechnology, Frontier Science Research Center, University of Miyazaki, JAPAN +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ E-mail: withheld by chrisrus

pictures
The Himizu, or Japanese Shrew Mole (Urotricus talpoides) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Urotrichus_talpoides_-_Berjeau.jpg

The Himizu Hime, or True's Shrew Mole (Dymecodon pilirostris) http://www.kagakukan.sendai-c.ed.jp/ikimono/honyu/mogura/02ph1.htm

Deer　Mr. Christopher Russell I will answer the matter of Dymecodon pilirostris. When it is use by an educational purpose, you may use it. Use by other purposes is refused. 仙台市科学館（Sendai　Science　Museum） 西　城　光　洋（Mitsuhiro　Saijo） 〒981-0903　　　仙台市青葉区台原森林公園4番1号（4-1，Dainohara　Shinrinkoen ，Aoba　District，Miyagi　Prefecture） TEL　　022-276-2201 FAX　　022-276-2204 E-mail　saijou@kagakukan.sendai-c.ed.jp Chrisrus (talk) 07:19, 23 June 2009 (UTC)

Mr. Christopher Russell We could　know the purposes to use it. We were permitted from the copyright person in the photograph. We permit the use of the photograph. Sendai Science Museum curator Mitsuhiro Saijo From: Christopher Russell Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 4:16 PM To: 西城 光洋 Subject: Re: From　Sendai　Science　Museum