Camponotus ruzskyellus

Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran on the ground and under rock in moderate rainfall, montane areas.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Kazakhstan, Iran, Iraq.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus (Myrmoturba) maculatus r. ruzskyellus Forel, 1922: 98 (w.) KAZAKHSTAN.
 * Combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 104.
 * Status as species: Emery, 1925b: 104; Bolton, 1995b: 121.
 * Junior synonym of oasium: Radchenko, 1997d: 809.
 * Status as species: Pashaei Rad et al., 2018: 3.

Taxonomic Notes
Pashaei Rad et al. (2018): Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) ruzskyellus Forel, 1922 (as Camponotus (Myrmoturba) maculatus F. r. ruzskyellus n. stirps; raised to species Emery 1925: 104). Type location Armenia, CASENT0910314, also reported from Iraq. The synonymy under C. oasium by Radchenko (1997b: 809) appears wrong as shown by the very clear differences between the wholly pale type and the likely dark brown workers of oasium from North Africa (Brian Taylor, pers. observ.).

Note that Bolton (in his unpublished An online catalogue of the ants of the world, 15 Feb. 2020) does not recognise the species status proposed by Pashaei Rad et al. (2018), noting that "the entries in this publication are omitted from the catalogue as it contains numerous nomenclatural errors; it also ignores previous taxonomic decisions, and entirely fails to apply ICZN rules that govern the availability of names in the species-group."