star-nosed mole
A small mole with distinctive fleshy tentacles around its nose, native to eastern North America. The name is a direct translation of the English common name.
The star-nosed mole uses the tentacles around its nose to search for prey.
Generic term for 'mole'; ホシバナモグラ specifies the star-nosed species.
Katakana spelling is common for this animal name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and may not be widely recognized; 土竜 is an uncommon kanji for 'mole'.
Compound of 星鼻 (star-nose) + 土竜 (mole), calque of English 'star-nosed mole'. The exact derivation is uncertain, but the Japanese name likely originated as a translation of the English term.