prettygoodword

desman (DES-muhn) - n., either of two acquatic mole-like insectivores of Europe with dense brownish fur, a long snout, and a flattened scaly tail.

The two species are the Russian desman (Desmana moschata) and the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus). They are mole-like (if rather larger than usual) because they are in fact most closely related to moles -- they are moles who took to the water. Ha!

The name is from either French or German, both shortened from Swedish desmanråtta, muskrat, the front part is from desman, musk, from a lost West German form (descendants also appeared in Old English and Middle High German), from Medieval Latin bisamum, of Semitic origin (the modern Hebrew form being beśem, pleasant aroma). Here's one of the Pyrenean desmans (you'll have to imagine the water):

Thanks, WikiMedia!

And that wraps up this week of lesser spotted animals -- back next week with somewhat more random words. "Somewhat" because it looks like I have a few other animal names lined up right after this.

---L.