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Die Japanischen Spitzmulle (Urotrichini; jap. ヒミズ族, Himizu-zoku) sind eine Gattungsgruppe aus der Familie der Maulwürfe (Talpidae) mit zwei Arten, die in Japan endemisch sind.
Der Körperbau der Japanischen Spitzmulle weist Ähnlichkeiten mit denen der Spitzmäuse auf. Die Füße sind schmal und haben nur kleine Grabkrallen, die Gliedmaßen sind relativ lang. Das Gesicht weist eine verlängerte Schnauze auf, die Augen sind sehr klein, die Ohren im Fell verborgen. Das Fell ist dicht, allerdings weniger samtartig als das anderer Maulwurfsarten, seine Färbung variiert von dunkelbraun bis schwarz. Mit einer Kopfrumpflänge von 6 bis 10 Zentimetern und einem Gewicht von 14 bis 20 Gramm zählen sie zu den kleinsten Maulwürfen. Der 2 bis 4 Zentimeter lange Schwanz ist relativ dick.
Beide Arten bewohnen die südlichen drei japanischen Hauptinseln (Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū) sowie einige vorgelagerte Inseln. Ihr Lebensraum sind Wälder und Grasländer.
Japanische Spitzmulle finden sich öfter an der Oberfläche als andere Maulwurfsarten, sie können außerdem gut klettern und schwimmen. Sie legen Pfade im verrottenden Pflanzenmaterial am Erdboden an, manchmal graben sie auch Gänge unterhalb der Erdoberfläche. Die Nahrung dieser Tiere besteht vorwiegend aus Regenwürmern, Insekten und Spinnen. Über ihre Fortpflanzung ist wenig bekannt, vermutlich bringt das Weibchen mehrmals im Jahr nach rund vierwöchiger Tragzeit zwei bis vier Jungtiere zur Welt.
Entgegen früheren Ansichten sind die Japanischen Spitzmulle nicht nahe mit dem Amerikanischen Spitzmull verwandt, sondern haben sich nur konvergent zu diesem entwickelt.
Es werden zwei Arten unterschieden, die in jeweils einer eigenen Gattung geführt werden. (In manchen Werken findet man noch beide Arten in der Gattung Urotrichus.)
Beide Arten sind laut IUCN nicht bedroht.
Die Japanischen Spitzmulle (Urotrichini; jap. ヒミズ族, Himizu-zoku) sind eine Gattungsgruppe aus der Familie der Maulwürfe (Talpidae) mit zwei Arten, die in Japan endemisch sind.
Urotrichini is a tribe of the mole family, and consists of Japanese and American shrew-moles. They belong to the Old World moles and relatives branch of the mole family (Talpidae). There are only two species, each of which represents its own genus. The name "shrew-moles" refers to their morphological resemblance to shrews, while generally being thought of as "true moles". The species are the Japanese shrew mole,[1] True's shrew mole[2] and American shrew mole.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
In Japan, the word "Himizu" (ヒミズ) may refer to both to the Japanese shrew mole in particular and Urotrichini in general; when True's shrew mole is distinguished from the general Himizu forms, the feminine diminutive word "Hime" is added to refer to the smaller size of that species. Although they are common in Japan, their alpine habitats, small size, and secretive lifestyle makes them generally unknown except among some mountain people and researchers.
Urotrichini paws are smaller and more downward- and backward-facing than the out-and-to-the-side orientation of the paws of classic moles, although not so much as in shrews. The limbs protrude slightly down and away from the body, as opposed to being invisibly retracted into the body with paws springing from just behind the head, as with moles. As such, Urotrichini are less well adapted than moles to forward burrowing, but better adapted to digging through the softer surface debris, leaf litter, and topsoils of alpine forest surfaces.
Unlike true moles, Urotrichini are not equally active day and night. Himizu spend a large part of their days sleeping in specially excavated deep subsoil burrows.
The Japanese shrewmole and True's shrewmole are more closely related to the American shrew mole than they are either Taiwanese and mainland Asian "shrew moles" or New World moles. These Urotrichini belong to members of the Old World moles subfamily, which also includes moles and desmans. The chiefly Chinese Uropsilinae shrew-like moles, despite previously having been called "shrew-moles" as well, are morphologically and genetically quite different, and comprise a sub-family of their own.
The taxonomy of this group has changed. Both Asiatic species had been thought of as one genus, Urotrichus. More recently, it was decided that a new genus, Dymecodon, be created within the Urotrichini to reflect significant morphological differences.
The fluctuating borders between Urotrichini species in Japan have been the subject of study. Dymecodon pilirostris is found only at higher altitudes, possibly due to soil conditions. The larger Urotrichus talpoides dominates richer lowland areas, displacing D. pilirostris to the poorer soils on the steeper slopes of higher altitudes. Maps of these fluctuating boundaries show a sea of Japanese shrew mole territory dotted with islands of True's Shew mole on the steeper areas. This results in isolation of breeding populations of D. pilirostris and notable sub-speciation among the Himizu Hime which is not found among the standard Japanese shrew moles.[9][10]
Urotrichini is a tribe of the mole family, and consists of Japanese and American shrew-moles. They belong to the Old World moles and relatives branch of the mole family (Talpidae). There are only two species, each of which represents its own genus. The name "shrew-moles" refers to their morphological resemblance to shrews, while generally being thought of as "true moles". The species are the Japanese shrew mole, True's shrew mole and American shrew mole.
In Japan, the word "Himizu" (ヒミズ) may refer to both to the Japanese shrew mole in particular and Urotrichini in general; when True's shrew mole is distinguished from the general Himizu forms, the feminine diminutive word "Hime" is added to refer to the smaller size of that species. Although they are common in Japan, their alpine habitats, small size, and secretive lifestyle makes them generally unknown except among some mountain people and researchers.
Les Urotrichini sont une tribu de mammifères de la famille des Talpidae.
Hormis le genre Myxomygale, éteint, cette famille regroupe des taupes japonaises en deux genres monospécifiques.
Les Urotrichini sont une tribu de mammifères de la famille des Talpidae.
