Myrmica kurokii

Inhabits mainly mountain forests (fir, spruce, larch, birch), at altitudes between 1000 and 2600 m, mostly around 1600-2000 m, but also bushes (mainly juniper), peat bogs, subalpine meadows, mountain tundra and, in Japan, grasslands. In forests, it builds nests almost exclusively in rotten wood, but in open habitats the ants construct moss mounds and build nests in soil under stones or dead wood. Nuptial flight is in August. (Radchenko & Elmes 2010; Hayashida, 1971; Sonobe, 1981; Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the kurokii group. This large and robust species is superficially similar to some rubra-group species (e .g. 'Myrmica ruginodis, Myrmica arisana, etc.), but well differs from them by having frontal carinae that do not curved outwards and do not merge with the rugae surrounding antennal socket, a short petiole with weakly developed peduncle, much denser rugulosity on the head dorsum and by having a densely punctated surface between rugulae.

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

Nomenclature

 *  kurokii. Myrmica rubra subsp. kurokii Forel, 1907e: 18 (w.) JAPAN. Raised to species: Emery, 1908a: 171; Weber, 1947: 469. Senior synonym of ruzskyi Kisileva: Radchenko, 1994f: 74; of chinensis, helleri: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 179. See also: Kupyanskaya, 1990: 102.
 * chinensis. Myrmica chinensis Viehmeyer, 1922: 204 (q.m.) CHINA. Subspecies of tibetana: Weber, 1947: 466. Revived status as species: Radchenko, 1994a: 41. Junior synonym of kurokii: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 179.
 * helleri. Myrmica helleri Viehmeyer, 1922: 204 (w.) CHINA. Subspecies of kurokii: Weber, 1947: 469. Revived status as species: Radchenko, 1994a: 42. Junior synonym of kurokii: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 179.
 * ruzskyi. Myrmica kozlovi subsp. ruzskyi Kiseleva, 1925: 75, fig. (w.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of kurokii: Radchenko, 1994f: 74.

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - this species was obviously dedicated to a Mr. Kuroki but Forel did not say who he was. He might possibly have been a Japanese collaborator of the German collector and lepidopterist Hans Fruhstorfer who owned the material, or more probably he was the Japanese General Kuroki Tamemoto who in 1904-1905 had become famous for his part in the Russo-Japanese war.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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 * Chen Z. L., S. Y. Zhou, and J. H. Huang. 2016. Seven species new to science and one newly recorded species of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from China, with proposal of a new synonym (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). ZooKeys 551: 85–128.
 * Choi B.M., K. Ogata, and M. Terayama. 1993. Comparative studies of ant faunas of Korea and Japan. 1. Faunal comparison  among islands of Southern Korean and northern Kyushu, Japan. Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. Japan 48(1): 37-49.
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 * Choi B.M.; Bang, J.R. 1992. Studies on the distribution of ants (Formicidae) in Korea (10). Ant distribution in Gangweon Do. Journal of the Institute of Science Education (Cheongju National Teachers' College) 14:12-30.
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 * Paik W.H. 1984. A checklist of Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Korea. Korean J. Plant Prot. 23(3): 193-195.
 * Park S.J., K.G. Kim, J.H. Kim, B.J. Kim. 1998. Ants from Chiaksan National Park. Korean J. Soil Zoology 3(1): 25-34.
 * Terayama M. 1992. Structure of ant communities in East Asia. A. Regional differences and species richness. Bulletin of the Bio-geographical Society of Japan 47: 1-31.
 * Terayama M., K. Ogata, and B.M. Choi. 1994. Distribution records of ants in 47 prefectures of Japan. Ari (report of the Myrmecologists Society of Japan) 18: 5-17.
 * Terayama. M. 2004. Geological and ecological distribution of Japanese ants communities. (translated from Japanese) Reports of the Saitama Prefecture Animal Research Association. 48:23
 * Yasuda N., and M. Sato. 1999. Checklist of insect fauna of Nayoro. Research Records of North Country, Nayoro North Country Museum (in Japanese) 3: 15-36.
 * Yoshimura M. 1998. Ants from Islands in Hokkaido, Northern Japan (No. 1, Risiri Island). Rishiri Studies 17:33-38.