Neoptera (Ancient Greek néos (“new”) + pterón (“wing”)) is a classification group that includes most orders of the winged insects, specifically those that can flex their wings over their abdomens. This is in contrast with the more basal orders of winged insects (the "Palaeoptera" assemblage), which are unable to flex their wings in this way.
The taxon Neoptera was proposed by А.М. Martynov in 1923 and 1924, in the following classification:[1][2]
The order Thysanoptera originally had uncertain systematic position, and later was attributed to Paraneoptera. Other classifications were proposed, subordinating Neoptera either directly to Pterygota (as in Martynov's classification), or to Metapterygota:
The phylogeny of Neoptera is shown in the cladogram, not fully resolved, according to Kluge 2004, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2020 using morphological characteristics according to the principles of what he calls cladoendesis.[3][4][5]
This does not agree with the molecular phylogeny of e.g. Song et al 2016 for the Polyneoptera, who include Zoraptera in that clade,[6] nor e.g. with Kjer et al 2016 for the Endopterygota, who offer a fully-resolved tree for that clade.[7]
Neoptera (Polyneoptera, in part) IdioprothoracaEmbioptera (webspinners)
Notoptera (ice crawlers)
RhipineopteraPlecoptera (stoneflies)
Tegminoptera PandictyopteraBlattodea (cockroaches, termites)
Mantodea (mantises)
Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets)
Phasmatodea (stick insects, including Mantophasmatidae)
Dermaptera (earwigs)
Eumetabola ParametabolaZoraptera (angel insects)
Acercaria CondylognathaThysanoptera (thrips)
Arthroidignatha (= "Hemiptera" auct.) (bugs)
PanpsocopteraPsocoptera (bark lice)
Phthiraptera (lice)
Endopterygota ElytrophoraColeoptera (beetles)
Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasites)
Coleopteroidea NeuropteroideaNeuroptera (net-winged insects)
Raphidioptera (snakeflies)
Megaloptera (alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies)
MecopteriformiaDiptera (true flies)
EnteracanthaMecoptera except Boreidae (scorpionflies)
CalyptropteraBoreidae (snow scorpionflies)
Siphonaptera (fleas)
AmphiesmenopteraTrichoptera (caddisflies)
Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
Hymenoptera (sawflies, wasps, ants, bees)
Neoptera (Ancient Greek néos (“new”) + pterón (“wing”)) is a classification group that includes most orders of the winged insects, specifically those that can flex their wings over their abdomens. This is in contrast with the more basal orders of winged insects (the "Palaeoptera" assemblage), which are unable to flex their wings in this way.