Aphaenogaster erabu

Aphaenogaster erabu nests underground in forests. Workers turn their gasters downwards while foraging (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification
Aphaenogaster erabu is distinguished from Aphaenogaster famelica by its yellowish brown body color and elongate propodeal spines, and by the downwards turning of the gasters in foraging workers (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Japan.

Nomenclature

 * . Aphaenogaster famelica subsp. erabu Nishizono & Yamane, 1990: 29, figs. 1, 2, 5 (w.q.) JAPAN.
 * Subspecies of famelica: Ogata, 1991b: 85; Bolton, 1995b: 69.
 * Status as species: Watanabe & Yamane, 1999: 734; Imai, et al. 2003: 177.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fukumoto S., Jaitrong W. and Yamane S.K. 2013. Ant Fauna of Kuro-shima, Iwo-jima and Take-shima islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Nature of Kagoshima 39: 119-125
 * Fukumoto S., W. Jaitrong, and S. Yamane. 2013. Ant fauna of Take-shima, Iwo-jima and Kuro-shima islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Nature of Kagoshima 39: 99-105.
 * Nishizono, Y.; Yamane, S. 1990. The genus Aphaenogaster (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Kagoshima-ken, southern Japan. [In Japanese.]. Reports of the Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University (Earth Sciences and Biology) 23:23-40.
 * Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
 * Watanabe H., and S. Yamane. 1999. New species and new status in the genus Aphaenogaster (Formicidae) from Japan. Pp. 728-736 in: Yamane, S.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp.
 * Yamane S., S. Ikudome, and M. Terayama. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp, 138-317.
 * Yamane S., Y. Harada, and K. Eguchi. 2013. Classification and ecology of ants. Natural history of ants in Southern Kyushu. 200 pages
 * Yamane, S.; Iwai, T.; Watanabe, H.; Yamanouchi, Y. 1994. Ant fauna of the Tokara Islands, northern Ryukyus, Japan (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) Japan Science Report 2(2):311-327.