Myrmica koreana

M. koreana inhabits mainly steppes and steppe-like habitats both on planes and mountains up to 1700 m a.s.l., only rarely it has been found living in light deciduous and mixed forests. Nests are normally built in soil, with no obvious indication of the nest entrance other than small woven entrance funnels, these are very similar to, but perhaps somewhat shorter than those of M. schencki. Nuptial flights are in August-September. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the schencki species group and most resembles Myrmica schencki. Female castes differ from the latter by their distinctly wider frons and much less extended frontal lobes; queens are considerably smaller than those of all other known queens of the schencki-group species. Males differ from those of M. schencki by their shorter and much less curved scape.

Key to Myrmica of species of East Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, Korean Peninsula, northern China, and Japan

Distribution
South-eastern part of West Siberia, northeastern Kazakhstan (to the south until Saur Range), South Siberia, Mongolia, Russian Far East, northeast of China and Korea.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation.

Nomenclature

 *  koreana. Myrmica koreana Elmes, Radchenko & Kim, 2001: 108, figs. 1a-d (w.) SOUTH KOREA. Radchenko, Elmes & Alicata, 2006: 521 (q.m.). See also: Seifert, 2003b: 153; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 169.

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - named for Korea where we believed it to be endemic when we first described it, however since then it has bee1n shown to be widespread in Siberia and the Far East.