Camponotus yamaokai

This species is arboreal and nests in dead twigs on trees. New queens over-winter in nests and decamp during May (Satoh, 1989; Japanese Ant Image Database). Idogawa and Dobata (2018) found colonies nesting in bamboo cavities in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan in a thicket dominated by deciduous broad-leaved trees.

Identification
This species resembles Camponotus nawai, but is distinguished by its much more prominent eyes and smaller relative head size in minor and major workers. Also, in minor workers, the petiolar scale is thinner in lateral view than in C. nawai; while in major workers it is thinner and wider in dorsal view than in C. nawai.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Japan.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus (Myrmamblys) yamaokai Terayama & Satoh, 1990a: 406, figs. 1-13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22 (s.w.q.m.) JAPAN.
 * Status as species: Morisita, et al. 1991: 43; Bolton, 1995b: 130; Radchenko, 1997d: 813; Terayama, 1999b: 30 (in key); Imai, et al. 2003: 36; McArthur, 2012: 130.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Harada Y., K. Nishikubo, K. Matsumoto, M. Matsuda, Y. Inazawa, Y. Ozono, S. Koto, N. Kawaguchi, and S. Yamane. 2011. Ant fauna of Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) forests in southwestern Japan. Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. Japan 66: 115-127.
 * Harada Y., Y. Matsumoto, S. Maeda, A. Oyama, and S. Yamane. 2009. Comparison of ant fauna among different habitats of Yaku-shima Island, southern Japan. Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. Japan 64: 125-134.
 * Hosoichi S., M. Yoshimura, Y. Kuboki, and K. Ogata. 2007. Ants from Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. Ari 30: 47-54.
 * Hosoishi S., M. Yoshimura, Y. Kuboki, and K. Ogata. 2007. Ants from Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. Ari 30: 47-54.
 * Ikeshita Y., A. Gotoh, K. Yamamoto, N. Taniguchi, and F. Ito. 2007. Ants collected in Mt. Linoyama, Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Kagawa Seibutsu 34: 59-62.
 * Katayama M., T. Hosoya, and W. Toki. 2013: First survey of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the uninhabitedGaja-jima Island, theRyukyu archipelago, Japan.Entomol. Fennica 24: 216222.
 * Maeto K. and S. Sato. 2004. Impacts of forestry on ant species richness and composition in warm-temperate forests of Japan. Forest Ecology and Management 187: 213223.
 * Natuhara Y. 1998. Ant faunae in Osaka City and three other sites in Osake Prefecture. Bulletin of Myrmecological Society of Japan 22: 1-5.
 * Negoro H. 1994. Ants from Toyama Prefecture, Hokuriku. Bulletin of the Toyama Science Museum 17: 35-47.
 * Sato T., N. Tsurusaki, K. Hamaguchi, and K. Kinomura. 2010. Ant fauna of Tottori prefecture, Honshu, Japan. Bulletin of the Tottori Prefectural Museum 47: 27-44.
 * 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., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
 * Terayama M., and T. Satoh. 1990. A new species of the genus Camponotus from Japan, with notes on two known forms of the subgenus Myrmamblys (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Japanese Journal of Entomology 58: 405-414.
 * 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.