grid deduction - Double feature: Russian desman

_{This puzzle is part 2 of the Double feature series (first part here). The series will continue in "Double feature: In concert".}

---

Rules of Masyu¹

• Make a single loop which goes through every white and black circle in the grid.



• The line passes through centres of cells and makes 90-degree turns only.


• The line cannot cross itself or branch off in multiple directions.


• When passing through a white circle, the line must go straight through the circled cell and make a turn directly before or after that cell (or both).


• When passing through a black circle, the line must make a turn inside the circled cell and continue straight for at least one cell on both sides.

Note: The crossword clues below are a mix of Printer's Devilry and normal cryptic clues.

Across
1. Mona, rains stop in Nice (4)
4. Wet dirt over my puppet (5)
7. English county is sorted out (6)

8. Therese R's arrived at the scene (4)
10. St. Peter guards heavenly gates (5)
11. Medication with added sulfur is cause of harm (5)
12. Finally a brief tour to do for black people (4)
13. Adversary of Yemen in turmoil (5)
15. Nose around quietly before raising your heads (3)

Down
2. State of Hawaii is located within Ontario's borders (4)
3. Singing barber is, for the most part, an immature person (4)
5. Poor result for one part of Ireland (6)

6. The Sesams are sometimes used for other meanings (5)
8. I can listen to 2 e-cubes unavailable (7)
9. Bottom of broken direction sign is not wide (6)
10. Biological distinctions of executive leaders in National Socialist organization (5)
14. Space station's outline seen ascending (3)

_{¹ Paraphrased from the original rules on Nikoli.}

Solve both puzzles to answer the question: What is the Russian desman?

Answer

Partial answer

The Russian desman

is a MOLE SPECIES.

After much staring and thinking and dictionary-trawling I remain confused by 8d, which I can't make any sense of either as a p.d. or as an ordinary clue. [EDITED to add: M Oehm figured it out; see below.]

Grids:

Explanations:

1a. p.d. "Monaco's trains". 4a. MUD<+MY. 7a. SORTED*. 8a. p.d. "responders". 10a. p.d. "Heaven's pearly". 11a. S in CURE (though I claim SPILL is actually a better answer). 12a. A (-brie)F (-tou)R (-t)O. 13a. YEMEN*. 15a. P+R(-aising) Y(-our).
2d. HI in O(-ntari)O. 3d. TODD(-ler). 5d. RESULT*. 6d. p.d. "these same terms". 8d. p.d. "2pac if Ice Cube's". 9d. N+ARROW. 10d. EXE(-cutive) in SS. 14d. RIM<.
The extracted letters are those on squares that (1) aren't in the Masyu path and (2) aren't blacked out in the crossword.

Credit where due:

M Oehm figured out 8d; clearly he is more acquainted with the Music Of Today than I am.