Colobopsis shohki

This species is known to be arboreal (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification
Terayama (1999) - Total length around 2.5-3 mm in minor workers and around 4.5-5 mm in major workers. Head and mesosoma yellowish brown to blackish brown; gaster black. Major worker: head length exceeding 1.10 mm; anterior margin of head, with a pair of blunt projections in full face view.

This species is distinguished from Colobopsis nipponica by the much longer head of its major workers (head length exceeding 1.10 mm, versus 1.00-1.05 mm in Colobopsis nipponica), and the shape of the anterior margin of the head, with a pair of blunt projections in frontal view.

Distribution
Nansei Islands: Tokuno-shima Island and southwards.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Japan.

Nomenclature

 *  shohki. Camponotus (Colobopsis) shohki Terayama, 1999b: 44, figs. 42-49 (s.w.) JAPAN. Combination in Colobopsis: Ward, et al., 2016: 350.

Worker
Holotype major: HL 1.18 mm; HW 1.05 mm; 8L 0.60 mm; C1 89; 81 57; WL 1.20 mm; PW 0.73 mm; P8L 0.14 mm; PH 0.48 mm; DPW 0.45 mm; TL 4.5 mm. Head 1.12 times as long as wide, with parallel sides and slightly convex posterior margin in full face view; anterior margin truncated, with a pair of blunt projection. Mandible with 5 developed teeth. Antennal scape short, 0.6 times head width. Eye flat, 0.30 mm in maximum diameter. Pro- and mesonotal dorsum straight; posterodorsal corner of propodeum forming a distinct angle; propodeal declivity abruptly declivitous. Petiolar scale thin and high, with convex anterior margin and concave posterior margin in profile; tip acutely angulated; in frontal view dorsal margin concave; scale in dorsal view thin, with concave anterior and posterior margins. Gaster massive and long, ca. 2.0 times mesosomal length. Head without hairs excepting a pair of erect hairs on vertex; mandible scattered with hairs; mesosomal dorsum and petiole without erect hairs; gaster scattered with short erect hairs Head, mesosoma, and petiole yellowish brown and somewhat red-dish;' gaster black.

Minor worker. HL 0.76 mm; HW 0.68 mm; SL 0.60 mm; CI 89; SI 89; WL 0.70 mm; PW 0.48 mm; PSL 0.10 mm; PH 0.38 mm; DPW 0.29 mm; TL 2.8 mm (A paratype from the same nest as holotype measured). Head oval, with gently convex sides and convex posterior magin in full face view; posterodorsal corner not forming a distinct angle. Mandible· with moderately convex outer margin and 5 teeth. Anterior margin of clypeus convex. Antennal scape distinctly exceeding posterior margin of head in full face view. Eye 0.23 mm in maximum diameter. Dorsal outline of mesosoma convex in profile; posterodorsal corner of propodeum forming a right angle; propodeal dorsum thin in dorsal view; propodeal declivity abruptly declivitous. Propodeal scale thin and high, with an acutely angulated tip; scale in frontal view with slightly concave dorsal margin. Mandible and clypeus with several hairs; vertex with a pair of erect hairs; dorsum of mesosoma and petiole without hairs; gaster with sparse short erect hairs. Head and mesosoma yellowish brown; gaster blackish brown.

Type Material
Holotype. Major worker, Yonaguni-jima, Okinawa Pref., 10. VIII. 1979, M. Terayama leg. . Paratypes. 3 major workers, 10 minor workers, same data as holotype; 1 major worker, 2 minor workers, Kobama-jima, Okinawa Pref., 11. V. 1984, K. Yamauchi leg.; 3 major workers, 7 minor workers, Syuri, Okinawa Pref., 14. IX. 1981, M. Terayama leg.; 1 major worker, 2 minor workers, Sueyoshi, Naha-shi, Okinawa Pref., 13. V. 1984, K. Yamauchi leg.; 4 major workers, 13 minor workers, Okinoerabu-jima, Kagoshima Pref., 18. III. 1980, M. Terayama leg.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Nakamura M., S. Uchikoba, and Y. Harada. 2016. Ants of housing lots on the Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan. Nature of Kagoshima 42: 465–468.
 * Nishimura M., H. Takamine, and M. Terayama. 2005. Distribution records of Aculeata (Hymenoptera) from Tsuken and Kudaka islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Tsunekibachi 5: 19-20.
 * Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
 * Terayama, M. 1999. The ant genus Camponotus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Japan. Memoirs of the Myrmecological Society of Japan 1:25-48.
 * Yamane S. 2016. How many species of Ants in Amami Islands? (in Japanese). Part 2, chapter 1 in How many species of Ants in Amami Islands? Pp. 92-132.
 * 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.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp138-317.