B31
Skulls of small Japanese field mouse (Miyao Collection)

This species is a typical rodent of Japan. It is widely distributed in Japan, and commonly found in forests. The skin color appears dark brown, and its body weight is about 20 g. The species is closely-related to the large Japanese field mouse, however the body size is smaller and the ratio of the tail length is relatively large. This specimen belongs to Miyao Takeo Collection which includes valuable scientific materials of zoology. The collection consists of specimens that have been prepared from wild animals collected in the field by Dr. Miyao Takeo. The Collection is composed of small mammals like Rodentia and Eulipotyphla with the detailed records of capture and external measurement data, Miyao collection represents valuable as skeleton specimens. Dr. Takeo Miyao had studied the mammals of Japan at School of Dentistry, Aichi Gakuin University until the 1990s since the 1960s. He captured large amount of vole, mouse and mole, examined the small mammals of Japan in detail. His researches widely include the geographical morphological variations, differences in growth patterns and ecological comparisons among populations. He successfully accumulated comprehensive information of mammals of Japan which had not yet been clarified. After the Miyao collection has been examined in Aichi Gakuin University, it was donated to the University Museum of the University of Tokyo by the efforts of Dr. Shintaro Kondo and Dr. Yasushi Takada in 2012. These specimens still has contributed to the collection of the basic biological data of mammals of Japan. We are grateful to Dr. Takeo Miyao and the staff of Aichi Gakuin University. (Hideki Endo & Mayu Kusumi)

References

遠藤秀紀（2002）『哺乳類の進化』東京大学出版会。