True's shrew mole facts for kids

Quick facts for kids True's shrew mole
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	Talpidae
Genus:	Dymecodon True, 1886
Species:	D. pilirostris
Binomial name
Dymecodon pilirostris (True, 1886)
True's shrew mole range
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.
Synonyms
Urotrichus pilirostris

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The True's shrew mole (Dymecodon pilirostris) is a small mammal that belongs to the Talpidae family, which includes moles. This special animal is found only in Japan, meaning it is endemic there. You can find it on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

These moles often live in areas higher than 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet) above sea level. They like places with tall grass, bushes, and forests. Sometimes, people call the True's shrew mole the lesser Japanese shrew mole. There's another species, Urotrichus talpoides, which is known as the "greater Japanese shrew mole." The True's shrew mole is the only species in its genus called Dymecodon.

What's in a Name?

The name Dymecodon might sound a bit complicated, but it tells us something cool about this mole! It comes from three ancient Greek words:

• δύο (duo) means "two"
• μήκος (mekos) means "size"
• όδούς (odous) means "tooth"

So, Dymecodon basically means "two size teeth." This name was chosen because the teeth in the mole's lower jaw change in size, alternating between bigger and smaller.

What Does True's Shrew Mole Look Like?

The True's shrew mole looks a lot like the Japanese shrew mole, but it's a bit smaller.

Size and Fur

• It has a head and body length of about 6.5 centimeters (about 2.5 inches).
• Its fur is thick and about 5 millimeters long.
• The fur is a dark brown color with a cool, shiny green look.
• Its tail is about 3.5 centimeters (about 1.4 inches) long and covered in dark hair.

Special Features

• The mole's palms and the bottoms of its feet are covered in dark brown scales.
• It has a relatively longer tail compared to some other shrew moles.

Unique Teeth

The teeth of the True's shrew mole are quite unique, especially compared to other similar moles.

• The first incisor (front tooth) in its upper jaw is wide and low. It's the widest tooth before the main molars.
• The second incisor is almost as wide and has a similar shape.
• The third incisor and the canine tooth are much smaller, only about a quarter of the size of the other incisors.
• In the lower jaw, the second incisor has an extra pointy bump at the back.
• There is no third incisor in the lower jaw, and the canine tooth is tiny.