[des-muh
n] 
| either of two aquatic, insectivorous mammals, Myogale moschata, of southeastern Russia, or M. pyrenaica, of the Pyrenees, related to shrews. |
| des·man (děs'mən) n. pl. des·mans Either of two aquatic, insectivorous, molelike mammals, Desmana moschata of eastern Europe and western Asia or Galemys pyrenaicus of southwest Europe, having dense brownish fur, a long snout, and a flattened scaly tail. [Short for Swedish desmanråtta, muskrat : desman, musk (from Middle Low German desem, from Medieval Latin bisamum, of Semitic origin; see bśm in Semitic roots) + råtta, rat (akin to Old English ræt).] |
desman
either of two species of amphibious Eurasian moles that den on land but seek prey underwater instead of burrowing through soil. The protruding flexible snout is flat and grooved with a lobed tip. Desmans have tiny eyes and no external ears; the ear holes and nostrils close underwater. The forefeet are partially webbed and fringed with stiff hairs. The huge hind feet are webbed to the tips of the digits and are also fringed with hair. Claws are long, curved, and sharp. Both species have water-repellent fur that is long, soft, and dense
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