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There are 262 species of ants in Japan |
It has been reported that there are about 262 species of ants in Japan. Until recently, only about 150 species have been named. Owing to the effort by the Myrmecological Society of Japan, all ant species living in Japan were given their specific Japanese names in 1988. Thereafter, study on the classification of ants is advanced and so far, the academic names of 200 species of Japanese ants have been identified (http://ant.edb.miyakyo-u.ac.jp/E/Index/Species.html). Each ant species consists of workers, males and females.
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The largest ant in Japan |
The largest ant in Japan is the female of the Camponotus obscuripes species with a length of 18 mm. The largest ant in the world is the female of driver ants (Dorylus), which lives in Africa. This ant has a length of 40 mm. 
1. Driver ant (Dorylus) 2. Camponotus obscuripes 3. Camponotus japonicus |
A female of Camponotus obscuripes The largest ant in Japan
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The smallest ant in Japan |
The workers of the Oligomyrmex yamatonis make their nest under fallen leaves and are equal in size to or smaller than a sand grain. If it does not move, no one is aware of this ant. This ant is so small that 100,000 ants in total weigh only 1 g. 
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A swarm of Oligomyrmex yamatonis ants
The smallest ant in Japan
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