Myrmica kamtschatica

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - M. kamtschatica is a boreal species that is widespread in humid places in several biotopes within the Taiga Zone. In the Kamchatka region it is most common in sparse forests but also lives on meadows and peat bogs, nests are built in soil, moss mounds and rotten wood (see Kupyanskciya 1990). In the upper Kolyma region (see Berman et al. 2010, p. 71-74) colonies contain 200-600 workers and are reported to be strictly monogynous; small nests are built in mossy tussocks or "pillows" that overlay the permafrost and are insulated by snow in winter. M. kamtschatica was used in studies of cold-hardiness (Berman et al. 2010). Nuptial flight occurs in July-August.

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) – A member of the kasczenkoi complex of the lobicornis species group. It resembles Myrmica angulinodis by the lack of a vertical lobe on its strongly angled scape-base, but well differs by the shape of its petiole and propodeal spines. Some populations of M. kamtschatica can have a weakly developed subvertical ridge on the bend at the scape-base (somewhat like a "rudimental" vertical dent).

Key to Myrmica of species of East Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, Korean Peninsula, northern China, and Japan

Distribution
South and East Siberia (to the west until Altai Mts.), Mongolia, Russian Far East, North Korea.

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

Nomenclature

 *  kamtschatica. Myrmica kamtschatica Kupyanskaya, 1986a: 88, figs. 3, 6, 9, 10, 14 (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. Senior synonym of aborigenica: Radchenko, 1994g: 86. See also: Kupyanskaya, 1990: 112; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 161.
 * aborigenica. Myrmica aborigenica Zhigul'skaya, 1991: 58, figs. (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of kamtschatica: Radchenko, 1994g: 86. See also: Zhigul'skaya, Kipyatkov & Kipyatkova, 1992: 72.

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - from the name Kamchatka with the adjectival suffix for nouns ica  = belonging-to or from, to indicate that it is a resident of Kamchatka Peninsula.