A new hoverfly genus from the Oligocene of France with unusual morphology

Here, we describe Intricodon cryptodaemoniacus, a new fossil genus and species of hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae), representing the second described hoverfly from the middle Oligocene of Céreste (Luberon, Southern France). It has unique, highly specialized characters like hind legs strongly thickened with processes on femur and tibia and the shape of the wing veins R4+5 and M1. Based on the visible characters on the well preserved compression fossil specimen, the new genus resembles some taxa currently attributed to the Merodontini in the wing venation and/or leg morphology. The systematic affinities and potential palaeoecology of the new genus are discussed through the comparison to the more similar Recent genera.