Camptorrhinites orarius

Camptorrhinites orarius

Britton, 1960

Common name Weevil
Fossil group Insects
Order Coleoptera
Family Curculionidae
Genus Camptorrhinites
Taxonomic status Accepted
Geological age Ypresian

Summary

This was a robust hidden-snout weevil about 5 mm long. In Camptorrhinites orarius, the stout, lightly ridged rostrum folded into a deep channel between the front coxae, but the channel closed immediately behind them rather than continuing onto the mesosternum. Rounded lobes partly covered the eyes, adding another layer of protection around the head, while the elytra remained smooth in outline rather than bearing raised tubercles.

The fossils do not preserve a host or feeding trace. Plant feeding is strongly inferred from its curculionid relationships, but the particular tissue used by the adult or larva is unknown. Two relatively complete pyritised adults give a good picture of the whole body plan despite compression, making this one of the better-known London Clay weevils anatomically even though its ecology remains largely inferential.

Quick Identification

Look for: a robust weevil around 5 mm long with a stout, slightly curved rostrum bearing low longitudinal ridges. The rostrum folds into a deep prosternal channel that opens between the ocular lobes, passes between the front coxae and closes immediately behind them before reaching the mesosternum; the elytra have strong punctured striae but no tubercles.

Diagnostic Features

  • Deep median prosternal rostral channel opens between the ocular lobes, passes between the anterior coxae and closes just behind them before reaching the mesosternum.
  • Rostrum is stout and slightly curved, its width about one third of its length, with weak median and lateral longitudinal ridges.
  • Eyes are vertically elongate and elliptical and are partly covered by rounded anterolateral pronotal lobes.
  • First and second abdominal ventrites are extremely long; their combined median length relative to the third-plus-fourth and fifth ventrites is approximately 40:7:11.
  • Elytra lack tubercles and bear strong punctate striae, with about twenty-two large circular punctures along the fourth stria.

Fossil Details

Typical size
about 5.0 mm
Preservation
Compression can directly alter the course of the prosternal channel, the most useful generic character, and the holotype itself demonstrates that the rostrum may be obscured. Surface corrosion may erase puncture rows. If the underside of the anterior thorax is missing, a specimen should not be forced to this Species from size and elytral striae alone.

Similar Species

Recorded Fossil Sites

No fossil-site occurrences have yet been recorded for this species.

References

  • Britton, E. B. (1960). Beetles from the London clay (Eocene) of Bognor Regis, Sussex. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Geology, 4(2), 27–50 View reference
  • Legalov, A. A. (2020). Fossil History of Curculionoidea (Coleoptera) from the Paleogene. Geosciences, 10(9), 358 View reference
Last Reviewed
16 August 2026 Reviewed by Sam Harris