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.

Martynov in 1923 and 1924, in the following classification:[1][2] Pterygota 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, using the molecular phylogeny of Wipfler et al. 2019 for the Polyneoptera,[3] Johnson et al 2018 for the Paraneoptera (where Psocomorpha contains Phthiraptera),[4] and Kjer et al 2016 for the Holometabola.

[5] Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids) Grylloblattodea (ice crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Embioptera (webspinners) Mantodea (mantises) Blattodea (cockroaches and termites) Thysanoptera (thrips) Hemiptera (true bugs) Psocodea (barklice inc. lice) Hymenoptera (sawflies, wasps) Raphidioptera (snakeflies) Megaloptera (alderflies and allies) Neuroptera (lacewings and allies) Coleoptera (beetles) Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasites) Trichoptera (caddisflies) Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths) Diptera (true flies) Mecoptera (scorpionflies) Siphonaptera (fleas)