Flat-headed Water Shrew

About the Flat-headed Water Shrew

The Japanese water shrew (Chimarrogale platycephala), also called the flat-headed water shrew, is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is endemic to the Japanese islands Honshu and Kyushu. They are considered extinct in Shikoku.

It is known in Japanese as kawa nezumi (カワネズミ; lit. 'river rat'). The Japanese water shrew is a very large shrew with a long tail, although the tail is shorter than the body length. The soft dense fur on the head, back, and sides is grayish black to grayish drab while the underparts are deep olive buff in summer. In winter head, back, and sides are blackish brown while the underparts are whitish. Guard hairs with silvery tips on head, back, and sides give the fur a silvery sheen. The ears are small, concealed in the fur, and (their openings) can be closed. Overall, body and skull are larger in animals from Honshu than from Kyushu and larger in males than in females. Their dental formula is:3.0.2.31.0.2.3 =28.

The Japanese water shrew on Honshu grows to a mean body length (including the head) of 12.5 cm (5 in) for females and 13.2 cm (5 in) for males. Mean tail length varies between 9.8 cm (4 in) for females and 10.3 cm (4 in) for... Wikipedia →