Talpidae Author Russell A. Mittermeier Author Don E. Wilson text 2018 2018-07-31 Lynx Edicions Barcelona Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos 52 619 book chapter http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6678191 6e85855c-9cd4-46e9-b1e1-5a643c103c3f 978-84-16728-08-4 6678191 39. Echigo Mole Mogera etigo French: Taupe d'Echigo / German: Echigo-Maulwurf / Spanish: Topo de Echigo Other common names: Etigo Mole Taxonomy. Mogera etigo Yoshiyuki & Imai- zumi, 1991, Inugaeshi-shinden, Shirone- shi, Echigo Plain, Niigata Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. Mogera etigo was considered to be the same species as M. tokudae , but the two differ morphologically, and karyotypic rear rangement resulted in several pericentric inversions. Molecular data support close relationships with M. tokudae . Monotypic. Distribution. Japan, restricted to Echigo Plain in Niigata Prefecture (Honshu). Descriptive notes. Head-body 157-170-5 mm, tail 23-29-5 mm, hindfoot 21-23 mm; weight 94-9-161-5 g. Tail is 3-8-17-9% of head-body length. Body of the Echigo Mole is large, muzzle pad is well developed, and naked portion on upper side of muzzle is diamond-shaped. Summer pelage is reddish brown or nearly clove-brown, darker above and nearly cinnamon-brown below. Skull is large. Rostrum is relatively narrow, and interorbital portion is broad. Braincase is wide and short. Upper incisor row is clearly V-shaped and projected forward. Dental formulais 13/2, C1/1,P 4/4, M 3/3 (x2) = 42. Dental anomalies (missing upper premolars and P,) were found in 8:5% of specimens. There are 7 cervical, 13 thoracic, 6 lumbar, 6 sacral, and 13 caudal vertebrae. There are ten mammae. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 36 and FNa = 54. Habitat. Paddy fields in lowlands. Narrow distribution is divided into two populations of the Echigo Mole; both are surrounded by the distribution of the Small Japanese Mole (M. imaizumaz). Food and Feeding. The Echigo Mole mainly feeds on earthworms (Pheretima spp.). Breeding. Pregnant Echigo Moles were mainly collected in March-April and rarely in July-August. Average number of embryos was 3-4/female. Activity patterns. The Echigo Mole is fossorial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Distribution of Echigo Mole is very restricted on the Echigo Plain of Honshu. The Echigo Mole inhabits mainly paddy fields, and modern structural improvements of paddy fields could accelerate decline of extant populations, along with distributional expansion and species displacement by Small Japanese Mole. Bibliography. Abe (1995, 1996), Hashimoto & Abe (1999), Kawada (2016), Kawada, Endo et al. (2011), Kawada, Harada et al. (2001), Ohdachi et al. (2015), Tsuchiya et al. (2000), Yoshiyuki & Imaizumi (1991).